Sea of Misfortune
by TombRaiderNinja
Summary: Captain Garmadon is feared throughout the sea and land. For years, Garmadon has enjoyed a limitless life filled with crime and gold, but there are some things that cannot be obtained by brute force. Luckily, there are legends of a treasure that can grant one's every wish. . . Ninjago AU. Rated T for safety. Please review, your opinions/Comments help loads!
1. A string of lives

**Chapter One - A String of Lives**

Garmadon ran a hand through his graying hair, allowing it to slowly fall back into place. His hands were shaking ever so slightly as nerves ran throughout his body. He breathed out slowly.

The ship swayed rhythmically along with the waves, a flow he'd more than grown accustomed to. The floorboards beneath him felt alive, and he welcomed the feeling. Land had always felt far too dead for his taste.

He stepped towards a small window, his gray eyes searching the horizon. When they settled upon the small island his heart couldn't help but jolt. After years of staying as far away as he could from Ninjago, today fate had drawn him back, as he knew someday it would.

He had no plans of confronting his family. Although he wished to see his son more than anything, Garmadon didn't trust himself to go anywhere near him. If he spotted his former wife and his brother together once more, he couldn't promise to walk away without inflicting some damage.

The memory of them still burned him with a brief flash of anger, but he nudged it away. No, he wasn't here for revenge.

He was here for treasure. Or, to be more specific, a map to it. He'd followed the myth of a certain magic lamp for as long as he could remember. The thought of acquiring anything he could ever wish for was a far sweeter prize than the gold coins and jewels he had collected over the years.

There was a soft knock on the door to his cabin. "Come in."

The door swung open, revealing a young man with broad shoulders and thick black hair. Cole Brookstone. The youngest member of his mismatched group of pirates, and surprisingly enough, the one who'd spent the most time by Garmadon's side.

"Captain," Cole nodded his head in Garmadon's direction, before stepping inside. "I assume you've already spotted the island. If we stay in place for now I doubt your brother will be able to spot us."

"Good." Garmadon spat the word, overflowing with bitter jealousy at the life his brother now led. Leader of Ninjago's guard, spending his days in one of the island's most luxurious mansions. The captain clenched his fists. "The last thing I want is to deal with _him_."

"No offense intended, Captain, but. . . If you don't want to start any issues with your brother, _why_ are we heading back to Ninjago? What _kind_ of treasure are we after, and is it worth returning?"

"If it wasn't, we _wouldn't_ be returning now, would we?" Garmadon shook his head, then turned back to face the window. "I promise you, Cole, this treasure is worth more than all others. It'll all make sense tonight, after we retrieve the map."

"The map, yes," Cole said, giving a small nod. He didn't like the strange obsessive look embedded in his captain's eye, but Cole knew trying to persuade Garmadon to chase after a different treasure would be futile. "Where exactly should we search for it?"

"A blacksmith shop. The Four Weapons," Garmadon said. "If what our good friend Captain Soto said is true, that's where it will be hidden."

"Understood," Cole responded, and committed the information to memory.

"And Cole?"

"Yes, sir?"

"Perhaps it would be better for you to search for the map alone. Take a boat to the island. I would really prefer to leave no evidence we were here. My brother would no doubt try to chase after us relentlessly if he knew where we were."

Cole nodded again, then proceeded to step out of the room. Questions plagued his mind, but he knew Garmadon would provide no further information. Cole had no choice but to wait for tonight.

Just as he would have no choice but to step onto the island himself and retrieve the map. Ten years ago, he'd vowed never to return to the island, deciding instead to pledge allegiance to the first man with a ship he stumbled upon. Getting as far away from home as he possibly could had been the only thought on his mind.

It all felt silly now. He'd been nothing more than a raged filled teenager, making rash decisions out of nothing but a bumbling wave of feelings. For a couple of months after sailing alongside his new captain, Cole bounced around the idea of returning home.

But now, too much time had passed. Cole's father had surely forgotten the trouble-making son he'd never quite gotten along with.

"Hey, Cole." An annoying sounding voice rattled through Cole's ear, pulling him away from his thoughts. "Isn't this island where you and the cap'n first met?"

Cole rolled his eyes, turning away from the view of the island to face the scrawny man behind him instead. Most of his blonde hair had been shaved as close to his skull as possible, aside for a line of spiked hairs centered on his head, making a line from the front of it to the back. A dirtied eyepatch covered an empty socket where his right eye had once been.

"I'm surprised you finally managed to remember something other than your name, Nuckal," Cole said.

"I remember lots of things," Nuckal responded.

"But yes, that's where we met."

"Not excited about heading back home, are you?" Another man piped in. Although still as thin and tall as Nuckal, an air of confidence made him seem both taller and stronger. Scars lined his face here and there, but both of his eyes were perfectly intact. "Wonder what's gotten into the captain. We've been sailing as far from Ninjago as we possibly could for years. And now we're sailing right back? Think he's finally going to murder his brother?"

"Hi, Kruncha," Nuckal said with a smile, showing off his yellowing teeth.

Kruncha opted to ignore him, focusing instead on Cole's words.

"No," Cole shook his head. "Captain doesn't want him knowing we're here. He actually wants me to go in alone."

"What? We're low on supplies. We should be docking somewhere soon."

"His orders, not mine," Cole shrugged. "We should probably try to anchor the ship now. They're bound to spot the ship. I'll be rowing the rest of the way there."

"Bring us something," Nuckal said.

"Suit yourself," Kruncha muttered.

Cole stepped away from the two men and began to shout orders throughout the ship. With only a soft breeze rolling through, bringing the ship to a stop was simple enough. Plopping a rowboat into the water was even easier. And moving the boat forward with rhythmic strokes wasn't anywhere near a challenge.

But the further the ship became and the closer the island grew, the more difficult it became to move forward. Cole's mind grew heavy and his stomach began to churn without rest. He truly did not want to step foot in Ninjago. Not with the possibility of running into his father hanging dangerously low above his head.

"It'll be night," Cole said to himself. "The chances of you meeting him then are-"

"Hey! Oh! Hey! Please look over here!"

Cole jolted, his head quickly snapping towards the unexpected voice. There hadn't been any boats nearby, and the island was far enough for it to be implausible for someone to swim this far. No one should be within earshot.

And yet, someone _was_.

The shouting man waved one of his arms frantically, even when it was obvious he'd gotten Cole's attention. With his other arm, he clutched a piece of wood tightly. "I can't believe there's someone here!"

"Me. . . either," Cole blinked slowly, taking in the sight before him. The man was surrounded by both pieces of wood and cloth. His hair was an auburn shade, looking almost red in the sunlight. Bright blue eyes matched the ocean around him. "What are you. . . doing?"

"Oh, it's. . . well, uh, just testing an. . . invention." With every word, the man's expression changed. His free arm had finally stopped waving, and now served as a way for the man to accentuate his words. "Can you please help? I just need to get back to the island. I don't really want to drown. Name's Jay by the way. But yeah. Please help?"

"My name is Cole," Cole responded, for lack of anything more to say. He helped Jay onto the boat. Confusion was more than obvious in his eyes.

Jay chose to ignore this. He didn't really feel like explaining the odds and ends of his failed invention. First, he didn't think Cole would understand. Second, if Cole _did_ happen to understand, Jay didn't want anyone else stealing his ideas.

"So why are you-"

Jay waved off the question. "Just an accident. Nothing too bad. Obviously, seeing how I'm still alive and all, but, this _is_ a bit far from the island. Why are _you_ here?"

Cole's eyes shifted, and Jay instantly realized whatever was about to come out of Cole's mouth would be a lie. "Just fishing."

"Without any fishing gear?"

"How about this," Cole's gaze was rather intimidating, and Jay found himself scooting as far back as the small boat would allow. "You don't ask any more questions, and I don't throw you off the boat."

"That seems. . . fair."

The rest of the way back to the island was spent in awkward silence, and Jay was more than eager to jump back to the island and step as far away from Cole as he could. After waving a final good-bye, one that Cole did not return, Jay headed deeper into the island.

By now most of his clothes had begun to dry, but he could imagine he was still quite a sight to see. He tried his best to ignore the glares of those around him, heading forward with as much fake confidence as he could muster.

Jay headed into a small blacksmith shop, located in the town's plaza. As soon as he stepped inside, a young woman looked up from her job. She set aside the sword she'd been molding and gave Jay a somewhat mocking smile. As she walked, her short blacked hair bounced around her.

"You know Jay, you're not supposed to jump into the ocean fully clothed. I'm pretty sure you're _at least_ supposed to take your shoes off."

Jay looked down at his boots and realized he'd ruined yet another pair. "Hi to you too, Nya."

"So what was it this time?"

"Top secret actually." Jay looked up at Nya, feeling a light blush spread across his cheeks when he realized how close she was standing.

"Ah, I see. Another invention then. Didn't go well I'm guessing." Nya smiled, enjoying the red tint spread throughout Jay's cheeks.

The blush deepened. "Well, I wouldn't say _failed_ I just, I mean-"

"Sorry, I'm just messing with you."

Nya laughed, then her eyes locked on someone behind Jay. Her brother. He was quickly approaching the shop, a bundle of materials hanging in a pack strapped to his back. "Ah, well, looks like Kai's back."

"Kai," Jay echoed, taking a couple of steps away from Nya in a comically frantic manner. Nya couldn't help it. She laughed again.

"I'll see you later then?" she asked, knowing Kai didn't exactly enjoy Jay's company. Something to do with her brother's idiotic over protectiveness. As if she couldn't take care of herself. And as if Jay was capable of causing anyone any harm.

"Yeah, later." Jay nodded, then quickly disappeared into the mess of people. Once he was completely out of sight Nya returned her gaze to her brother, just in time to watch him stroll into the shop.

"Saw you talking to that guy again," Kai said, letting the pack slide down from his back. "Hope it didn't distract you too much from your job."

"I'm done with all our orders, thanks. And I can talk to anyone I want as far as I know."

"Sure," Kai shrugged. "Just not him. He's weird."

Nya rolled her eyes. "So are you ready to make the delivery? Or are you going to wait for Admiral Wu to come down here and pick them up himself?"

Kai scowled. "I'm ready. Where's the sword?"

"All packed up and waiting to be delivered." Nya reached for a long black box behind her, carefully handing it over to Kai.

Kai took the box from his sister, slowly lifting the lid to reveal the sword inside. It was perfect. Not that he'd expected any less from his sister. A pang of jealousy flitted through him. Nya was a wonderful blacksmith. Kai, on the other hand, was not. "Looks alright."

"Just alright? I spent a week on it, you know."

Kai shrugged. "I'll be back then."

Nya sighed. Part of Kai wanted to praise her, but the other part was a mix of jealousy and pride, keeping him from doing anything more than walking away.

The Admiral's house was a bit of a trip from the town. By the time Kai reached the entrance gates he was covered in a coat of sweat, and the sun was beginning to lower. There was a guard standing stiffly by the gate, his gaze focused on the horizon.

Kai smiled. He'd had a few interactions with the guard before. Although he was a bit stiff and awkward, the man had a kind heart. "Hello, Zane."

Zane blinked, then directed his gaze towards the man before him. "Oh, hello, Kai. You are a bit late. I believe the Admiral is getting ready for dinner now."

"I just wanted to make sure I got this to him today." Kai showed Zane the sword. The guard gently took it from Kai's hands.

"I do not think I can let you in at this hour, but I will deliver it."

"Thank you," Kai nodded. "I'll. . . see you around then."

Zane nodded his head.

As Kai walked away, Zane took a closer look at the sword. It was well crafted, and he could tell there had been much improvement from the last one the Admiral had ordered. Closing the box, Zane headed inside the gate, making sure to lock it behind him.

He moved forward with purpose and speed, not wanting to leave the gate unguarded for long. Zane doubted any of the villagers would attempt to harm the Admiral, as he was very well liked throughout the island, but Zane wanted to do his job as a guard as best as he could.

After all, Zane owed everything to the Admiral.

Zane didn't remember much of his past. He only remembered being lost on the island, wandering around without any purpose. Soon enough, he was found by the Admiral, who took him under his wing without any questions. Since that day, Zane had found a purpose. Protect the Admiral at any cost.

As Zane headed towards the dining room, he froze in his tracks before colliding with a woman as he turned the corner.

Quickly, Zane bowed his head. "Lady Misako."

"Zane."

"There was a delivery. For the Admiral. A new sword." Zane held out the box.

Misako took the box, her green eyes running down the length of it. A frown of disapproval tugged at her features. "Thank you, Zane. I'll let him know. You can go back to your post."

"Yes." Zane bowed his head once more, before turning on his heels and heading out the door. Misako turned the opposite way, heading towards the dining room. The door squeaked as she stepped inside, and the eyes of the Admiral quickly locked onto her.

"You received a delivery," Misako said, placing the box on the table. "Another sword? And for what, exactly? You have more than plenty of weapons in this house, Wu."

"Ah," Wu said, eyeing the box, but refraining from reaching towards it. "It's been quite a while since I ordered a new one. It's always good to be ready with the best."

"Ready? Ready for what?" Misako asked, although she knew the answer. Ready for Garmadon. Then man she'd thought she loved. The man who now rampaged throughout the seven seas. "You're still afraid of him, aren't you? Afraid he'll come and take revenge on you? It's been ten years. He. . . He isn't coming back."

Misako's voice wavered, and Wu lowered his eyes. Of course he still feared his brother. The family Wu had found himself part of had been Garmadon's first. Wu feared every single day. Feared the moment when it would all be snatched away from him.

He cleared his throat, pushing away the fears, and opting to change the topic. "And Lloyd? Isn't he coming to dinner?"

Misako sighed, slumping down on the closest chair. "No. He's still upset. Maybe you shouldn't have spoken of your plans to capture Garmadon in front of him. Regardless of anything, he's Lloyd's father, Wu."

"Yes. And he is a criminal as well." Wu shook his head. "But I see your point. I will apologize next time he is willing to see me."

"You should take him some dinner," Misako urged, pushing what would have been Lloyd's plate towards him. "I've already tried to talk with him, but you should too."

"Alright." Wu stood, picking up the plate on his way out of the room.

Three sets of stairs. Wu's legs felt weak, but Lloyd had demanded the highest room in the mansion. In order to get a better view of the ocean, Lloyd had claimed it.

Wu knew just who the young boy was waiting to see.

Although Lloyd couldn't have possibly remembered anything about his father, the boy was obsessed with him. Anything and everything that could possibly be known about Garmadon was known by Lloyd. Stories, rumors, news. . . the boy knew it all.

"Lloyd?" Wu knocked on the door softly. "I brought you dinner. I was hoping we could talk."

On the other side of the room, Lloyd sat by the window. A spyglass was pressed against his eye as he scanned the horizon. "I don't want to talk to you. _And_ you're never going to capture my dad. You'll die trying, probably."

Lloyd stared at the door, wishing his uncle would respond. Willing for Wu to snap, to fight, to do _something_. But as always, only a soft sigh could be heard.

"Well, your dinner is here, if you want it." Lloyd heard a plates set down gently on the floor by his door. Then footsteps, heading further and further away.

Instead of heading for the food, Lloyd returned to looking out the window. He wasn't interested in eating. Not now. Not when he'd found something much more interesting.

A ship, barely visible against the horizon.


	2. Midnight shadows

**Chapter 2 - Midnight Shadows**

Lloyd waited. He waited until every light inside his uncle's mansion had been snuffed out. Waited until there was nothing but silence wafting through the house. Waited until the sky was coated in darkness.

For the hundredth time, Lloyd raised the spyglass against one of his bright green eyes. The ship was still there. A small speck, even harder to see at night that it had been during the day. Lloyd moved away from the window.

He tugged down the black curtain beside him, wrapping it around himself as a makeshift cloak. Lloyd made sure to hide every inch of his bright blonde hair. He was _not_ going to get caught.

Pushing the door open as slowly as possible, Lloyd slipped out into the darkened hall. Hopping down the stairs was simple. He'd since long memorized which steps would creak and which wouldn't.

The thought of meeting his father had always seemed like nothing more than a dream. Lloyd had wished for it with all his heart, and he'd had more than his fair share of daydreams about it, but for the most part, meeting him had seemed unreasonable. And now that it _could_ be real, now that it was _so_ close, Lloyd felt shaken with emotions.

But he couldn't think about them all, not yet. Or he might miss the opportunity.

If it even _was_ his father.

And yet, who else could it be? Most ships never hesitated to dock in Ninjago's port. The island had an abundance of positive aspects, luring merchants and travelers alike. There was no reason to stay so far away from the island.

Unless, of course, you were a pirate.

Lloyd slipped out of the mansion through a small backdoor located in the kitchen. The cook had often invited Lloyd inside, and the young child quickly learned about the inconspicuous exit.

A breeze welcomed Lloyd into the outdoors, and he pulled his cloak tighter around himself. Most of the guards were lazily keeping watch by the main door, more preoccupied with sharing rumors than doing their jobs well.

Except for one, as usual.

Zane paced around the grounds, his sharp eyes always ready, always searching. Lloyd briefly wondered if the man ever slept. As far as Lloyd knew, Zane seemed to always be working.

Although Zane was an excellent guard, his eyes were searching for danger, not a small child attempting to escape. And even if Zane did know the grounds better than any of the other guards, he did not know them quite as well as Lloyd did.

The young kid crawled forward, not minding the bits of dirt sticking to his skin and clothing. Soon enough Lloyd reached the tall walls surrounding his uncle's pompous mansion. Climbing over seemed impossible, and with Zane's eyes drifting throughout, it no doubt would wind up ending in failure.

Lloyd didn't plan on climbing. He searched around, pressing the palms of his hands against the wall, searching for the couple of loose bricks he knew were there. Once he'd located them, Lloyd patiently slid each one out of place.

"Bye everyone," Lloyd whispered, with a smile planted firmly on his face. He had better places to be.

Pressing his body against the ground, Lloyd wriggled out of the small hole he'd made. Once outside, he stood slowly, waiting for any signs of having been spotted. Nothing. His mom and uncle would both be asleep. Neither of them would figure out Lloyd was gone until it was too late to pull him back. He was going to make sure of that.

Lloyd ran.

He sped through the path, aiming to reach the town faster than he ever had before. He couldn't miss this opportunity, he didn't know if it would ever come again. For a moment the town appeared before him. For a moment, Lloyd could almost picture his father, arms wide, welcoming Lloyd into a long awaited embrace. For a moment, it all went according to plan.

But that moment ended quickly, when a rough grip on his cape pulled him back.

* * *

Cole walked through the town, invisible against the darkness.

Every shop was closed and each window was shut tight. There was no light within any of the houses. Cole had made sure to wait until the whole town was asleep. And now, there would be no one between himself and the map Garmadon desired.

Cole turned into the town's small plaza, remembering the blacksmith shop from the time he'd lived on the island. He'd never paid too much attention to it, and he couldn't bring himself to remember who ran the shop. Not that it mattered. They wouldn't even know he'd been there.

Or. . . Maybe they would.

Cole stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes locked on the small window of the blacksmith shop. There was a small candle, still lit, throwing shadows and light every which way. After a few seconds of staying still, Cole began to walk forward again, moving to glimpse a better look inside the shop.

There was a woman, arms resting upon the table where the candle sat. Her head was down, short hair covering most of her features. Cole stepped even closer, searching for her eyes. Closed.

Cole breathed a sigh of relief, then stepped towards the door of the shop. It didn't take more than a couple of flicks of his nimble fingers to open the simple lock. He pushed the door open as gently as he could.

The woman stirred. "Kai?"

Cole cursed under his breath. He hoped she wouldn't scream before he could silence her.

"Is. . . That you?" The chair creaked as the woman stood. The floorboards mapped out her footsteps as she headed towards the door.

Before the woman could get any closer, Cole stepped inside the shop, aiming to use the element of surprise to his advantage. When the candlelight revealed Cole's features, confusion clouded the woman's eyes.

He knew what many of his crew mates would do in his position. One quick movement with a sword in hand, and the problem would be solved in a matter of seconds. Cole was a pirate, and murder came with the territory. But Cole simply couldn't.

"I'm sorry," he muttered instead, before landing a swift blow against the woman's neck. He used nothing more than two fingers, making sure not place excessive force on the attack. The woman's eyes rolled back, the sudden cut-off of breath causing her to fall limply against Cole's arms.

That's when Cole spotted the tattoo.

It took up most of the woman's right arm, starting from her shoulder, all the way to the image of a small island etched around her wrist. Cole followed the lines, quickly making sense of the black ink.

A map. _The_ map.

Cole almost laughed. He couldn't say this was anywhere near what he'd expected.

But orders were orders, and his were quite clear. Bring the map.

After working out of his disbelief, Cole threw the woman over his shoulder.

* * *

Kai reached the edge of the town, a stubborn ache traveling through his legs. There was nothing but darkness all around as everyone had long since retired to bed. Kai sighed, wishing he'd had the energy to walk a little faster on the trip back. His sister was no doubt still waiting up for him, as she always insisted on doing.

Nya was stubborn, and Kai was never able to convince her to do anything. But then again, Kai himself shared the same attitude, so he knew he didn't have much room to complain. Giving a small smile at the thought of his sister, he continued to walk, reaching the town's plaza within a couple of minutes.

Once again, nothing but darkness surrounded him.

There was no candle at the window of the shop. Kai's steps quickened, his stomach suddenly churning with worry. _She's just asleep. I took longer than usual and she's just asleep._ The thoughts flew around his mind, but they felt like nothing more than lies. Kai knew something was wrong.

Kai fumbled to reach the key buried within his pockets, but his fingers never reached the cold metal. He didn't need the key. The door was unlocked, a small sliver of the darkness inviting Kai to step inside.

 _Maybe I forgot to lock it. Maybe Nya forgot to check._

Lies. Every single thought in his head was a lie, but Kai couldn't bear to face the truth. With a shaky breath, he pushed the door open. "Nya?"

Silence. Kai searched the darkness, but there was no one inside. His sister's candle lay on its side by the floor, the flame long since gone out. "Nya?"

Slowly, Kai allowed the truth to unfold. Nya wasn't here. Adrenaline burst through him, and he searched every inch of their small house, tossing and pushing things aside in desperation. "Nya! Where _are_ you?"

There was nothing in the house, and he was only wasting time by searching. Kai ran back out into the town, his eyes dancing rapidly, bouncing from one shadow to the next. But where to go? Where to check? The town wasn't immense, but there were still enough paths to leave Kai at a loss.

He began to run forward, moving from street to street. He didn't have a plan, but he knew he couldn't stand still. " _Nya!"_

There!

A shadow moved across his vision, running with purpose towards the beach. Kai forced his legs to move faster, ignoring the throb of his muscles. He wasn't going to allow anything to happen to his sister.

Lloyd fell back, slamming hard against the ground.

A man towered above him, his features half hidden in the shadows, but Lloyd still recognized him.

"You're the blacksmith," he stated, for lack of anything better to say. He felt dazed, still bursting with adrenaline. "What. . . What do you want?"

"The Admiral's kid? What are you doing here?"

"I am _not_ his kid," Lloyd growled, getting to his feet. "And I'm going somewhere."

"In the middle of the night?" Kai held the kid back, preventing him from running off.

"My _real_ father is here." Lloyd tried to wriggle out of Kai's grip, blinking away tears of anger and desperation. He was going to miss his chance. "Let me _go_."

"Real father?"

Frustrated, Lloyd continued to struggle. "Yes. Captain Garmadon. _He_ is my father. And he's here and you're going to make me miss him."

"You've been reading too many stories, kid. Garmadon doesn't have any children."

Lloyd shifted, sliding his spyglass out of his pocket. He pressed it against Kai's hand in a rough manner, then pointed at the ocean. "He's _there_. He's waiting. Just let me go!"

Shaking his head, Kai tightened his grip on the child before placing the spyglass against his eye. At first, there was nothing but an empty horizon. Then he spotted it. A small speck against the distance. It could be anything. There was no reason for the boy to believe what he did.

As he began to lower the spyglass, Kai spotted something else. Another shape, another shadow. A boat, he realized, once he spotted it again. In it was a man. His clothing suggest that he _was_ indeed a pirate, at least as far as the soft moonlight would reveal. And he wasn't alone.

Kai dropped the spyglass, his grip weakening enough for the boy to run. "Nya."

He didn't understand. Why would anyone take her? As far as Kai was aware they didn't really have any enemies. Neither of them had even stepped foot outside the island. And now a pirate showed up out of thin air to take his sister? And not just any pirate. Captain Garmadon, if the boy was to be believed.

The boy.

Kai shook his head, focusing on the world before him. The kid had run far, his legs moving faster now that he knew someone had spotted him. At that pace he would reach the sea in no time.

And then what?

"Wait!" Kai shouted, running. The kid was fast, but Kai's legs were longer. He was able to close the distance between them in a matter of seconds. Kai grabbed the kid's arm, pulling him back. "What are you, crazy? Do you think you can swim all the way to the ship?"

"I can't miss him," the kid hissed, pulling against Kai's grip. "What if he doesn't come back?"

"Kid, you can't swim all the way out there." Kai lifted the child, placing him over his shoulder. He began to make his way back to the town, wondering what his next move should be. As much as he wanted to go after Nya immediately, Kai knew he wouldn't make it very far on his own. He'd need help.

He thought of the Admiral, knowing the man had attempted to capture Garmadon himself more than a couple of times. He could be willing to help. With a ship and an army, Kai would have a shot at rescuing his sister.

The path split before him. One would take him back to town, to the shop. The other would lead straight to the Admiral's mansion.

With a sigh, Kai chose the path towards the town. He didn't think he'd be able to travel the path to the Admiral's mansion a third time, much less while carrying the kid. As much as it pained him to wait, Kai knew it was the right choice.

"I'll take you back home tomorrow. You can stay with me for the night. And don't think of running off again. I'm a pretty light sleeper. You won't get far."

The kid's only answer was a long, defeated sigh.

Kai reached the blacksmith shop, closing the door behind him. The darkness and silence throughout it was eerie. The shop had never felt so empty. Nya had always been there and, without her, everything just felt _wrong_.

He headed to the floor above the shop, where his and Nya's rooms were. Kai went into his room, finally putting the kid down. "You can sleep on my bed. And like I said, _don't_ run off again. There's no way you can swim that far. And even if you could, they'd probably leave before you could even reach them."

Once again, the kid didn't respond, choosing to climb onto the bed instead. Kai watched him curl up, making himself as small as he could so that his whole body hid beneath the cape.

"I'm sorry you couldn't see your dad."

The shape beneath the cape grew smaller.

With a sigh, Kai headed to Nya's room. He didn't know if he'd be able to sleep, but getting a few minutes of rest was worth a shot. He sat on his sister's bed, trying to make sense of everything, but no matter how hard he tried the pieces didn't quite fit.

In his room, he could hear the kid sobbing softly, making Kai's heart wrench. If Garmadon truly _was_ the kid's father, Kai could understand the feeling all too well. He still remembered watching his own dad sail away in a ship, going on a trip he would never return from.

Weeks had become months and months had become years, causing Kai's hope for his father's return to grow dimmer and dimmer, until there was nothing left but a feeling of emptiness. Eventually, Kai had gotten back on his feet, but not on his own. Nya had guided him back, while somehow still supporting herself.

"Please be safe," Kai whispered, laying back against the bed, and forcing his eyes shut. "I can't lose you too."


	3. A path and a purpose

Chapter 3 - A Path and a Purpose

"You said things would make sense after I brought the map," Cole demanded, sitting across from his captain. The woman was locked in a cell within the belly of the ship, most likely still shouting endless insults as she struggled to find a way to freedom. There wasn't one. Even if she sneaked out of the cell there really wasn't anywhere to go, unless she planned on swimming back to Ninjago. "I'm actually even more confused than I was before."

"Yes." Garmadon nodded slowly. "I will admit I wasn't aware of the map being. . . well, a girl."

"What _is_ the map for? Where exactly are we going?"

"The island the map will lead us to holds a really special kind of treasure." The captain's eyes glowed with excitement, sending a wave of goosebumps down Cole's arms. "You've heard of the Teapot of Tyrahn, haven't you?"

Cole frowned. The name threw him into the past, to the stories and legends his father would recite alongside his friends. The teapot was supposed to hold a powerful Djinn who would grant three wishes for whoever freed him. "Well. . . yes, but it's a legend. You can't truly believe a _teapot_ is going to grant wishes."

"Soto has seen it."

"And you'd really trust a pirate?"

"My brother has run into it as well," Garmadon added, "and he isn't exactly too fond of lying. This thing is _real_ , Cole. Could you imagine all we could do, if we could wish for anything?"

A part of Cole could. A part of him was tempted, his mind creating images of what his life could be like if he were able to wish it into perfection, but something kept him from fully giving in to the idea. It simply felt. . . wrong. Everything had a price. What would be the consequences of getting all you could wish for?

"Well. . . I do hope it's worth it, Captain," Cole finally said, "because now your brother is no doubt going to come chasing after us. Trying to steal a map from under his nose is one thing, but kidnapping a woman is something else entirely. People will notice."

Garmadon scowled. "Let him come then. I've skirted away from this battle for too long. Maybe it's about time I faced it."

* * *

" _Yes_ mom, I'll be back before lunch. Aren't I always?" Jay Walker ran to the door, anticipation causing his heart to beat ever faster.

"Okay well, stay safe." His mother, Edna, shouted after him, her eyes creased with worry as they always seemed to be. Jay nodded briefly, waving good bye to her while merging into the crowd.

His eyes jumped left and right, taking in the sights before him. Jay loved coming into the town when the shops were open and the customers were abundant. Every day, things were different. Different conversations, different people, different products. The flow of everything made his ever-curious eyes widen, and his steps became a little lighter as the atmosphere around him allowed him to relax.

But there was something that was always the same. And it was for this that Jay had made waking up early to walk around the town a routine. He reached the town's plaza, his eyes instantly locking onto the blacksmith shop.

Rain or shine, Nya was always there, always working on something new. Watching her mold the metal into whatever she desired was fascinating, and Jay never tired of it. From the first moment that he and his parents had arrived on the island, Jay had been drawn to her, and day by day he'd pushed himself closer, until he'd finally been able to strike up a conversation a couple of months back.

For each day after that he'd shown up, tentatively offering his friendship. Nya had been rather welcoming, laughing at Jay's terrible jokes and enjoying the stories he'd tell about his crazy inventions. He couldn't imagine going a day without sharing a couple of words with her.

Which was why Jay's stomach dropped with disappointment at the sight before him. The shop was closed, and there were no sounds from within. The whole place seemed dead. Jay looked at the people around him, wondering if anyone knew _why_ the shop was closed, but everyone was too caught up in their own lives and Jay was too nervous to speak up.

Instead, he walked closer to the shop, leaning close to the window, until his forehead was almost pressed against the glass. He couldn't see anything. With the questions in his mind beginning to sour with a hint of worry, Jay headed towards the door. It wouldn't hurt to knock.

As he raised his fist, the door itself swung open.

* * *

When Lloyd woke up, confusion dazed his eyes.

It took him a couple of minutes to recollect his memories, and once they finally marched into place, he felt himself drowning in disappointment all over again. He'd been _so_ close to seeing his father again, but he'd failed.

The ship would now be long gone and Lloyd was once again stuck in a place where he didn't want to be, surrounded by people he didn't want to see.

Then a hint of doubt began to creep into his already muddled mind. The thought made his heart ache with even more intensity, and he clutched his dark cape around himself.

What if his father _didn't_ want to see him?

Lloyd had never entertained the thought. Somehow, he'd always believed his father loved him more than anything. That his father would have his own reasons for not approaching the island. Lloyd had always blamed his uncle for it all. It was Wu's fault his dad couldn't come close to him. It was his fault his dad had gone away.

But now, Lloyd's father had been _so_ close. And yet, Garmadon had made no effort to reach his son. Why? Lloyd had done his best to slip away. He'd run, and run, and he'd reached the beach before the ship sailed away, but his father hadn't been waiting for him.

"We need to go. I didn't mean to sleep so long. Come on, kid, we need to go."

Lloyd shook the thoughts away, pushing the tears as far from his eyes as he could. If he was going to go back home, he wasn't going to cry. He didn't want his mother to see how much it all hurt. He didn't want her to say that things would be okay, that she loved him, and that his uncle loved him too.

"Okay," Lloyd responded softly, moving himself towards the door. The man went on ahead, and Lloyd followed, hating each beat of silence. The awkward air hanging between them felt suffocating, urging Lloyd to fill it with words. "So. . . What's your name? And, well, why were _you_ outside in the middle of the night?"

"My name is Kai," the man responded. His voice sounded strained, and Lloyd had to wait a couple of beats before receiving his answer to the second question. "And my sister is missing."

"Missing?"

"Gone."

"I _know_ what it means. I was wondering _why_ she's missing."

"Well maybe _you_ could tell _me,_ " Kai snapped back, reaching for the door. "Since it was your father that- "

Kai's words froze in his mouth, when he spotted the man standing on the other side of the door. His fist was raised, as if he'd been seconds away from knocking. To Lloyd, the man looked skittish and jumpy, his bright blue eyes eyeing Kai with a hint of fear.

"Jay?" Kai scowled.

"Hi," Jay responded. "Is Nya-"

"No, she's not. She was kidnapped by pirates and I'm trying to do something about it, so if you would excuse me." Kai pushed Jay aside none too gently, and stepped out into the town. Lloyd skipped forward, rushing to keep up.

"Wait," Jay trotted after them, falling in line just behind Lloyd. "Are you . . . serious?"

When Kai didn't respond, Lloyd chose to speak up. "He is."

Jay's eyes traveled down to Lloyd, finally taking in the child trotting along behind Kai. His eyes widened, and he looked back towards Nya's brother. "Why do you have the Admiral's son with you?"

"I am _not_ his son. Garmadon is my father."

"Garmadon, like, the pirate Garmadon?" Jay asked, looking back towards Lloyd.

"Yeah," Lloyd nodded.

"Wow." Jay's instant belief of Lloyd's words made the child feel slightly more comfortable, and he slowed down enough to keep pace with him instead of Kai.

"I don't know why they took Kai's sister though."

"Nya," Jay prompted. "Her name is Nya."

"Is she nice?"

"Real nice."

Kai ignored both Jay and Lloyd, allowing their conversation to become nothing more than background noise. The worry he'd felt yesterday had tripled over night, and he could barely find the focus to do anything more than move forward.

The Admiral _had_ to help him. Kai knew he couldn't do it by himself, although he wouldn't hesitate to try if it came down to it. He would go to the ends of the earth for his sister, just as he knew she would do the same for him. After both of their parents had left them with nothing but each other, Kai and Nya had grown closer than ever. He wasn't going to fail her.

 _But_ _what if you_ have _failed?_ A small voice in the back of his head nagged, making Kai's stomach twist upon itself.

 _What if it's already too late?_

* * *

"Well, if you _didn't_ fight with Lloyd last night, then why exactly is he missing, Wu?" Misako paced the length of Wu's office, her body pulsing with adrenaline. When she'd found Lloyd missing this morning, she'd been overcome with a wave of emotions. And now they were all directed towards Wu, in the form of very, very sharp anger. "You're the last one who spoke to him. You're the one who upset him."

"Misako, I said nothing to him." Wu responded for what seemed to be the hundredth time. "Lloyd couldn't have gone far. We'll find him, or most likely he'll come back on his own."

"We can't know that." Misako shook her head, finally stopping by the window. "Lloyd's. . . He can be stubborn. If he wanted to get far. . . I just don't understand _why_. Maybe if I knew, I'd know where to find him."

A soft knock echoed throughout the room. Misako straightened herself, blinking away the tears of anger and frustration. "Come in."

Zane, one of Wu's best guards, stepped inside. "Sir. Lloyd is back. The blacksmith ran into him last night, and he's brought him back. He also claims there's something really important he must tell you."

"Let them in," Wu said.

With a small nod, Zane stepped out, only to return with Kai, Jay and Lloyd close behind him. The moment Lloyd stepped into the room, Misako ran towards him, pulling him into a tight embrace. Lloyd stiffened.

"Why Lloyd? What got into you?" Lloyd's mother questioned, but the boy simply shrugged, refusing to meet her eyes.

Wu stood, moving his eyes away from Lloyd and Misako in order to face the man who'd brought them here. "And. . . how exactly did you come to find Lloyd?"

"And what's your part in all of this?" Wu then asked, finally placing his eyes on Jay, who had been trying his best to blend into the background.

"I, uh-"

Kai stepped in front of him, cutting off his words. "He's just someone who knows my sister, but he was just leaving."

With those words, Kai shot a glare at Jay, who finally stepped out of the room rather reluctantly. Wu then redirected his attention towards Kai. "This. . . well it's about my sister, sir. And. . . your brother. He was here, on the island, last night. I think. . . I know he kidnapped her, though I don't understand why."

"Garmadon? Here?" Misako turned to look at Lloyd. "Is that why you left, Lloyd?"

Once again, Lloyd shrugged. With a shake of her head, Misako herded Lloyd out the door. "Go to your room. I'll be up in a second. And we're going to talk about this."

After closing the door, Misako turned back towards Wu. Kai spotted a shared secret in their eyes, and he cleared his throat, eager to bring attention back to himself, to his sister. The Admiral looked back at Kai. "Well, young man, tell us everything then."

* * *

The moment his mother closed the door after him, Lloyd marched off towards the garden.

"Hey, wait," Jay, who'd been standing outside the door, moved after him. "What happened? Where are you going?"

"They're going to talk about my dad. That's why mom kicked me out, but I'm going to listen." Lloyd and Jay stepped into the mansion's garden. A couple of guards eyed Jay suspiciously, but didn't ask any questions due to Lloyd's presence.

"Can I listen too? The girl that's missing, Nya, she's my friend."

Lloyd nodded, urging Jay to follow him. Lloyd lowered himself against the grass, and Jay mimicked his movements. Soon they had both crawled beneath one of the mansion's windows. Although the window looked just like all the others to Jay's eyes, he trusted the kid knew what he was doing.

The both sat still, straining their ears, waiting for sound to reach them.

"Of course we'll help you, Kai. My brother has been running from the law for far too long. We will bring your sister to safety." The Admiral's voice finally rang out. Jay softened his breathing, not wanting to miss a word. "I will arrange a ship. I think I may have an idea as to where he will be headed. His ship is not as fast as ours and we will surely reach him before any harm can be done."

"Great," Kai said, voice rushing with adrenaline. "I'm ready now. I can wait by the docks and-"

"Well. . . The ship will not be ready until tomorrow morning, Kai. There are supplies to think about, and I must carefully choose which soldiers to bring along."

"What?" Kai's response was quick and shaky. "She's already been with them far longer than I-"

"I understand your concerns, Kai, and I know you want to go this very second, but I can't snap my fingers and have everything ready in an instant. I promise you we will be as quick as we can. You're welcome to stay the night here, so you can leave with me."

"I. . ." Jay could imagine Kai pacing, shaking his head. And he understood the blacksmith perfectly. Jay himself could barely keep from jumping up and running to the beach. The longer Nya spent in the hands of pirates, the more chance of her . . . Jay bit his lip. He wasn't going to think of it. "I don't. . ."

"I know it's hard to trust me when I say it will turn out alright," Wu said, his voice soothing. Jay scowled. Hard to trust him? Try impossible. The Admiral didn't have any proof that a bunch of _pirates_ wouldn't harm Nya. "But it will. I doubt my brother will harm your sister."

"Why wouldn't he?" Kai asked. "Better yet, why would he take her in the first place?"

"It's got something to do with your father, Kai. I promise things will make sense, in due time. Your sister will be unharmed and we will head to her rescue in the morning. Alright?"

A small sigh was heard, echoing Jay's own. "Alright."

"Thank you, Kai. Now, do you wish to stay the night?"

Lloyd and Jay both tuned out of the conversation, choosing to think about the words that had already been said instead. They were each filled with different emotions, but they both wound up with the same sense of purpose.

 _Uncle will go after my father_ , Lloyd thought, his earlier doubts replaced by hope. _I have another chance!_

 _The Admiral's going after Nya_ , Jay thought, worry making his fingers jitter. _I can't just wait and see how it all turns out_.

"I have to be on that ship." Both Jay and Lloyd muttered in unison.


	4. Stowaways

Chapter 4 - Stowaways

Lloyd rushed back to his room, aiming to beat his mom.

Thoughts of the ship plagued his mind, combined with the risky plan he and the blue-eyed man had come up with. Well, the plan _Lloyd_ had come up with, while Jay nodded in anxious agreement.

Not that Lloyd could blame him. As a child, Lloyd didn't think he could wind up in too much trouble if things were to fall apart again. But Jay? Lloyd didn't know what sort of mess the man could wind up in.

Despite this, Jay had been willing to help. He'd assured Lloyd he had a way for them to reach the ship in the morning, one that was fast enough to beat his uncle to it. All Lloyd had to do was get out of the mansion.

Seconds after shutting the door to his room behind him and plopping down onto his bed, Lloyd's mother walked inside. Lloyd pretended to be angry, fighting to keep any excitement from shining in his eyes.

"Lloyd. . ." Misako said, sitting on the bed beside him. Her tone was both concerned and angry, and the kid braced himself for what could be a long lecture. "You can't simply run away. Anything could have happened to you out there. I know you truly miss your father but. . . the type of life he leads isn't something you should be caught up in."

 _Anything is better than here_ , Lloyd thought. In here, the rules were too strict. In here, the walls felt suffocating. In here, Lloyd felt nothing but longing. "I don't want to _be_ here."

" _Why?_ " Misako pressed, taking Lloyd's hand into her own.

"Because," Lloyd shrugged. " Everyone expects me to grow up and be like _him_. They even think I'm _his_ son. Well maybe I don't want to be like him. Maybe I want to be bad."

"Do you really now?"

"Maybe," Lloyd said. "Breaking rules is more fun than following them. Dad understands that. He'd understand me."

"Maybe he would," Misako sighed, wishing she could come up with a better response. "But he isn't here, Lloyd. _I'm_ here. And I'm trying to understand too."

"Well you can't," Lloyd hissed. "Only he can."

"Okay," Misako responded, unwilling to argue any further. Garmadon had always been an important image in Lloyd's head. It would be impossible to defeat someone who he so stubbornly believed was perfect. "But you're not going to see him. And you're not going to run off again. From now on there's going to be someone keeping watch outside your room until you can convince me to trust you again."

"What!?" Lloyd bolted up. This couldn't happen. "No, mom, you can't!"

"There should be no problem with it, if you've no plans to go anywhere you're not supposed to go." Misako stated, her voice firm. "I don't want you in any sort of danger, Lloyd."

"But that's just. . ." Lloyd shook his head. "You can't."

"I'm sorry, Lloyd." Misako headed out of the room, wishing she could find the words that would finally show Lloyd how wonderful his life could be _here_. But the anger in her son's eyes let her know that 'here' was the last place he wanted to be. "I really am."

When she closed the door, Lloyd threw his pillow across the room in frustration. Unless he suddenly gained enough strength to knock out the guard by his door, there was no way out. Frustration filled up inside him, and he began to pace back and forth across his room.

He stopped by the window, pushing it open to take a good look below. If he dropped from here, he'd be in the garden. In the garden with a pair of broken legs, that is.

Climbing down would be near impossible. There weren't enough places for him to put his hands and feet. Lloyd stepped back, taking in the things around him.

There _had_ to be a way out.

* * *

"I know you, you know."

Cole froze in his tracks, looking back at the black-haired woman. Her voice was hoarse from all her shouting, and the skin around her eyes was dark with lack of sleep. "You do?"

"Yeah," she replied, closing her eyes for a brief second. "You're Lou's son, aren't you? The one that ran away?"

"Lou's son, that's me," Cole muttered. For a moment he considered leaving her, ignoring the string of conversation that she was attempting to draw around him, but guilt clawed at him, knowing every bit of her suffering was _his_ fault. If he wasn't going to let her go the least he could do was offer a bit of company. "I don't think I really met you while I was on the island. I'm guessing you're the blacksmith's daughter? Sister?"

"Blacksmith's sister." She scowled. "Yeah, I guess that would be it. Although I do much more work than my brother does. And yet I'm still the 'blacksmith's sister'."

The bitterness in her eyes seemed familiar, as Cole had seen it a couple of times in his own. While on the island, he had only been known as his father's son. There had never been a 'Cole'. People relentlessly assumed Cole would be more than eager to follow his father's footsteps into the business of entertainment, but no one actually bothered to ask what _he_ wanted. Not even his father.

"What's your name then?" Cole finally asked.

"Nya," she said. "And yours?"

"Cole."

"So," Nya said, stepping closer to the bars that kept her trapped in place. "Now that we're properly acquainted, care to tell me what the heck is going on? I'm tired of shouting, but I still don't have any answers. I've never done anything to anyone. At least, I don't think I have. Care to enlighten me?"

"I don't know much more than you do." Cole shrugged. " All I know, is Captain wants that map on your arm."

Nya stared at the ink upon her skin, running her fingers along the lines. "I don't even _know_ why this is here. It's always been there."

She shook her head. "Look, I'll let you scribble the map on a parchment or something. You said so yourself. The captain wants the _map_. Not me. I don't _need_ to be here."

"We're too far from Ninjago for you to go anywhere," Cole said. " And I doubt the captain wants to waste time sailing back. He seems pretty set on getting . . . wherever it is we're going."

"Then give me a boat and let me go back myself."

"Do you even know _how_ to get back? I'm sorry, but you're stuck here. I can't help you."

"Can't or won't?" Nya banged her fist against the metal bars, causing them to rattle. "You don't seem like a bad person. Do you even _want_ to be what you are?"

After a moment of silence, Cole left.

* * *

Wu stood in front of the window, his eyes searching the shadows of the sea.

"You need to rest," Misako said, coming to stand behind him. "If you're going after Garmadon tomorrow, you need to rest."

"I know you're right," Wu responded, turning around to face her. "But you know exactly what he's searching for. What if he's already found it?"

"He hasn't," Misako responded. "He couldn't have reached the island in such a short time. Going there and back took _you_ a couple of weeks. Garmadon isn't going to get there overnight."

Wu nodded slowly, making sure to keep his eyes away from Misako's. The trip he'd made years before in search of the Teapot of Tyran had been a short one, but webs of temptation had quickly spun around him and Kai's father, making the trip longer than it should have been. "You're right."

Misako spotted the hesitation in Wu's voice, and she forced him to look at her. "You and Ray _did_ return as soon as you hid the teapot, did you not? Neither of you made a wish?"

"Of course not." Wu shook his head, hoping Misako wouldn't see the shame he felt so clearly scribbled across his face. "Ray's death on the island was a tragedy but. . . it had nothing to do with wishes."

Misako slowly stepped away from Wu, nodding her head. "Okay. I trust you."

"Thank you," Wu smiled. "I'll try to get some rest."

"Good," Misako said, placing a soft kiss upon Wu's forehead. "You have to stay safe out there."

"I will."

Despite forcing his eyes shut, and directing his body to lay still and rest, Wu's mind never quite drifted into sleep. Guilt and worry clawed against his mind in unison, keeping him away from peaceful darkness. Time and time again he willed himself to tell Misako the truth, knowing she deserved every bit of it.

But the truth never reached his lips. Fear of losing the person he loved most kept it locked deep inside his mind.

* * *

Lloyd was wide awake before the sunrise.

After pacing around for hours the day before, he'd stumbled upon an idea, but in order for it to work, timing was everything. Lloyd reached under his bed, pulling out a make-shift grappling hook. He'd torn the curtain he wouldn't be using as a cape to shreds, using it to create a rope long enough to get him to the garden.

Then he'd taken the now empty curtain rings and shaped them into a rather awkward looking hook. His finished project wasn't too easy on the eyes, but as long as it was functional, Lloyd could have cared less.

People had used grappling hooks for years, using them to latch onto enemy vessels and climb on board. Lloyd would use the same concept. Except if anything went wrong, the hard ground beneath wouldn't be quite as welcoming as the ocean.

He latched the hook onto one of the legs of his bed, making sure it was as secure as possible. Lloyd then stuffed a stolen uniform and his spyglass into a small sack, which he tied to his waist. After wrapping the un-ripped curtain around himself as a cloak, Lloyd moved to the window, looking down on the garden below.

The few guards still outside were moving into the mansion, with the end of their shift approaching. Lloyd would have a couple of minutes before the next guards showed up. He hoped Jay really did have a way to get to the beach fairly fast. He had no doubt both the guards and his mom would be on high alert, and the faster Lloyd was well hidden in the ship, the better.

Once the garden was empty, Lloyd climbed out the window. He slid down as fast as he could, trying to ignore the burning feeling spreading upon his palms. As soon as his feet his the ground, he tugged on the curtains with as much force as he could muster. After the third tug, the hook finally gave away, plummeting out of the window and into the garden.

Hands shaking with adrenaline, he picked up the evidence of his escape and ran across the garden, reaching his secret exits within seconds. Once outside, he headed into the thick vegetation besides the main path, hoping Jay would be waiting.

"Jay?" Lloyd said, as loud as he dared. Had the man been too afraid of the plan after all? "Jay?"

"Here, kid." Jay stepped forward, waving his hand to get Lloyd's attention. "Ready then?"

Lloyd trotted towards him, nodding his head. "They'll be getting the ship ready soon. We have to get there fast."

"We will. You got the uniform you want me to wear?"

"Yup." Lloyd tossed to clothes towards Jay, who began to change as quickly as he could.

"This is really, _really_ crazy," Jay muttered. "The Admiral's going to murder me if we get caught. Kai will probably jump in to kill me too. I'm pretty sure he hates me. Do you think this would count as kidnapping, you know, _if_ we get caught?"

"It's _my_ plan," Lloyd said. "You're not kidnapping me."

"I hope they believe that." Jay straightened out the uniform. "Okay, how do I look?"

"Like everyone else." Lloyd pushed past Jay, his eyes searching the area around him. "So, how exactly are we going to get there?"

"Ah, well," Jay smiled, his eyes suddenly shining with pride. He pulled something towards him, which had been carefully hidden behind a couple of palm trees. Lloyd tilted his head to the side, trying to figure out what exactly he was looking at.

There were two wheels, one directly in front of the other. They were both tied together with a seemingly complicated system of chains. In between the two wheels was a seat, one that didn't exactly look very comfortable.

"What _is_ it?"

"I call it a cycle," Jay stated proudly. "It's much faster than running, and easier to work with than horses. Or at least it will be, once I work out a couple of problems here and there. The wheels break sometimes. I don't think wood is a suitable material for it. I can't think of anything else though. And see the chains here? They sometimes get stuck. But this thing can go tremendously fast. Since we'll be going downhill, we'll be able to go faster than I usually do. For the most part I use the-"

"We should really get going," Lloyd muttered, cutting off Jay's enthusiastic explanation of his weird invention.

"Oh, right. Sorry." Jay moved to sit on the so called cycle, then looked back at Lloyd with a small frown. "You'll. . . have to hold onto my back. I. . . didn't exactly plan for a second passenger on this thing."

Without hesitation, Lloyd jumped onto Jay's back once the man was seated. Lloyd's heart was beating furiously. They had to go _now_.

Once they got going down the path, the young child's worries momentarily left him. The cycle _was_ fast. The wind blew against them with force, and Lloyd couldn't help but laugh. The whole experience was exhilarating.

They reached the town in a matter of minutes. The shops were still closed, and the streets were empty. Lloyd looked over Jay's shoulder, spotting the edge of the beach. His uncle's ship was waiting at the dock. "We're almost there!"

"Yeah!" Jay shouted in response, his lips parted into a wide smile. "This thing is really nice, isn't it?"

"It's-" Lloyd's words were cut short as the cycle tipped forward, sending both him and Jay flying forward into the sand. For a dizzying second, the world shifted in and out of focus.

"A work in progress." Jay finished Lloyd's statement, slowly bringing himself to his feet. "Guess the wheels don't do too good on the sand."

"But we made it!" Lloyd smiled. "The ship is just ahead. They're going to start loading it soon, so we just need to get to the warehouse before anyone else. You still remember your part?"

"You hide in an empty cargo box, I carry you in, then we both hide on the hold of the ship and hope we're lucky enough not to get caught during the process." Jay's stomach began to ache at the thought of everything before him. "Why exactly did I agree to this? This plan is. . . we're going to get busted. There's no way this can work. Well. That's what I get for running off with a _kid_. The Admiral's kid of all kids."

"I _told_ you, I'm not his son." Lloyd began to walk towards the warehouse, his steps determined and confident. "And it's too late to change the plan now."

"My house isn't too far from here. Maybe we could-"

Lloyd stopped, turning around to face Jay. He placed both hands on his hips. "And what about your friend?"

"I. . ." Jay took a slow breath. "You're right. You're right. Let's just do it."

Despite Jay's fears and Lloyd's luck-based planning, things went far better than either of them could have guessed. With the sailors busy preparing the ship, and the soldiers readying themselves for the voyage ahead, no one was paying too much attention to the things around them.

Guided by Lloyd's previous explanation of the ship's layout, Jay found the hold after only a couple of wrong turns. By the time he found it, his arms were shaking uncontrollably under the weight of box and the child within it. It took the last ounces of his strength to keep from simply dropping it upon the wooden floor.

Jay then made a show of checking the boxes around him, waiting until there was no one but him left in the hold.

"And. . . we're good. I think," Jay whispered, pulling off the top of the wooden box. Lloyd climbed out eagerly. His small face was red and sweaty, blonde hair plastered against his forehead.

"That was worse than what I imagined it would be." Lloyd said. "Why did you take so _long_?"

"Hey, I thought I was pretty fast."

"Not fast enough."

Together, they pushed around a couple of boxes to create a small hiding spot against the hold's walls. Although the setting was a bit suffocating, it was safe. Both Jay and Lloyd slowly allowed themselves to relax.

"You know kid, I think we're crazy." Jay shook his head. " I can't believe we actually _did_ it."

Lloyd smiled. "We did."

"Guess now there's nothing to do but wait."


	5. Remainders of the past

Chapter 5 - Remainders of the Past

Kai watched as the island of Ninjago grew smaller before him. The constant worry for his sister hadn't lessened, but there was now a certain twinge of excitement accompanying it all. This was the very first time he'd ever left the island. The world before him was massive and, for once in his routine constricted life, he couldn't begin to imagine what would occur next.

"I hope you truly are ready for this."

Kai turned, coming face to face with the Admiral. The man looked tired, with shadows hanging beneath his eyes. Kai had no doubt his own looked very much the same. Sleep had become a near impossible feat since his sister had gone missing.

"Are you?" Kai replied, trying to sound as polite at he could. He was more than grateful to the Admiral for his help, but he hated the slight doubt in the old man's eyes. Of course Kai was ready. There wasn't anything he wasn't willing to do for his sister, and there wasn't anyone who would be capable of stopping him.

"I fear I'm not quite sure." The Admiral replied with more honesty than Kai had expected. He faced away from Ninjago, looking at the ocean before them. "I've been hoping to stop my brother from causing further harm for years, but now that the battle approaches, I can't afford to grow overconfident. Garmadon is a worthy opponent. We will surely have our hands full."

"Well he made his final mistake when he took my sister," Kai muttered, refusing to admit any sort of doubt into his mind. Kai knew Garmadon would pose a challenge, but he had never doubted his own ability to overcome anything. "Speaking of which. . . Are you going to tell me why he took her? You said something about my father?"

"Ah, yes. That's quite the long tale, Kai, but the point is, Garmadon needs a certain map found upon your sister's skin in order to find an island. But what rests on that island isn't of importance, for we are not going to allow him to get that far."

Kai thought about the strange markings upon his sister's arm. He didn't remember how Nya had wound up with the map there. In Kai's mind it was simply something that had always been there, something he'd ceased questioning long ago.

"I think I deserve to know the whole story," Kai demanded. What exactly wasn't the Admiral telling him? And _why_ wouldn't he tell him?

"Of course," Wu nodded. "In due time. For now, I think a better use of our time would be to sharpen your skills. Pirates spend most of their lives fighting. Their skills with the sword are not to be taken lightly. How good are you in battle?"

"I can hold my own," Kai responded without a second of hesitation. Since they were young, Kai and Nya had always sharpened each other's skills. He was sure a couple of pirates wouldn't be too much of a problem.

Wu unsheathed his own sword. A dull ache traveled through Kai's chest at the sight of his sister's work. The sword really _was_ well crafted. "Mind showing me what you know then?"

"I would love to," Kai replied, pulling his own, slightly less impressive sword from its sheath. He watched the Admiral carefully, determined to prove his worth.

Wu swung his sword from the side, aiming to hit Kai's shoulder. With reflexes he'd grown quite proud of, Kai blocked the attack, allowing himself a second to smile, but that second was all the Admiral needed. Instead of moving back and attacking from a different angle as Kai and Nya would have done in their practice, Wu twisted his sword around Kai's, then pressed down, forcing Kai to release his weapon.

Once the sword had clattered uselessly onto the deck, Wu pressed the tip of his own blade against Kai's chest. "Hmm. Not very impressive."

Kai felt heat spread across his cheeks. His pride cringed at his poor performance, and he struggled to keep his anger in check. After taking a small breath, he bent down to recover the sword.

"Practice is very different from a real fight," Wu continued. "Your opponent isn't going to stop once you've blocked his attack. Fighting continues seamlessly until one of you is dead. There's a lot more for you to learn."

"I noticed," Kai growled, raising his sword once more. This time, he would be ready. "Let's go again then."

"Change your grip," Wu said, taking a step forward to reshape Kai's grip around the hilt of his sword. "You are far too stiff. You need to be able to twist the sword easily, as if it were an extension of your arm."

Kai instantly felt the difference. The sword now responded to even the smallest movements of his wrist. Wu stepped back, then raised his own sword. "Ready?"

"Ready." Kai nodded, swinging with an attack of his own. The Admiral blocked it with ease, stepping backwards as he did so. With the distance between them, Kai found it impossible to try out the trick the Admiral had used on him seconds before.

Wu then pressed forward, swinging his sword nearly faster than what Kai could block. Kai tried to step back, knowing that if the Admiral got too close, his sword would once again be twisted out of his grasp.

But the ship's swaying was nothing like the hard ground Kai had grown accustomed to. A step quickly turned into a stumble, and within moments Kai found himself on the ground with the Admiral holding a sword to his chest.

"Your footing also needs plenty of work." Wu reached down, offering Kai his hand. "There's much I must teach you if you are to fight for your sister."

With slight reluctance, Kai took his new mentor's hand.

* * *

"Oh I think I had too many oranges." Jay curled into himself, leaning against a crate that now stood open. Dozens of oranges were strewn around him, and even more orange peels were cast along the ground. "I never thought you _could_ have too many oranges. Aren't oranges supposed to be healthy?"

"They _are_ ," Lloyd said, popping a piece of orange into his mouth. "But I don't think you're supposed to eat ten in one go."

"I was _hungry_. How much longer do you think it'll be? You know, when you imagine a daring rescue you usually cut to the _actual_ rescue. Not the moments in between with terrible stomachaches and even worse boredom."

"I'll agree to the boredom," Lloyd nodded. "It should be night soon. Then most people will settle down, and we can continue to phase two of our plan."

"Phase _two_?" Jay sat up slowly, still clutching at his stomach. "I didn't know we had a phase two."

"I just thought of it."

"And what _is_ it?"

"Sabotage!"

" _Shh_." Jay pressed the palm of his hand against Lloyd's mouth. "That's not a word I'm too keen on shouting. Much less when we're stowaways in the ship of the most powerful man in Ninjago."

"Sorry." Lloyd moved Jay's hand away.

"But. . . Sabotage?"

"Yeah." Lloyd nodded excitedly. "I mean think about it. . . When we reach my dad's ship, what's my uncle going to do?"

"Politely ask for Nya back?"

"He's going to try to _sink_ it. The ship we're on has a _lot_ of cannons. There's no way a pirate ship can beat it in a fight."

"Why not? I thought pirate ships were like. . . weapons of mass destruction. You know? Pirates are scary."

"Pirate ships are usually smaller. It's a hassle to have a lot of cannons, and pirates don't usually have _that_ many people per ship. So the ship is too small to even _have_ that many cannons, and there's not enough people to keep track of a lot of cannons."

"Oh," Jay responded, kicking a rolling orange away from him. "Okay, but, if the ship is faster, how will we ever catch up?"

"Oars," Lloyd said, pointing above him. "In case there's not enough wind to move, my uncle decided to build a ship where oars could be used to keep moving forward. Pirate ships wouldn't have that. So we'll catch up sooner or later."

"How do you even _know_ these things?"

"We live on an island," Lloyd shrugged. "And my uncle happens to be in control of the navy. I grew up around all of this."

"I'm sure your uncle didn't teach you anything about _pirates_."

Lloyd smiled. "Nope. I learned about that all on my own. My mom's library has _everything_."

"Wow." Jay shook his head. "At your age I wasn't nearly as impressive as you. How's that fair?"

"That's beside the point," Lloyd muttered. "We were talking about _sabotage_."

"Right, right."

"If my uncle's ship attacks my dad's, who's to say a stray cannonball won't wind up harming your friend?"

"It. . . I mean. . . Hasn't the Admiral been in plenty of battles? I trust he'd know where to aim."

"Accidents _do_ happen."

Jay began to fidget with his clothes. He didn't know nearly as much about ships as the kid did, and the mere thought of Nya possibly getting wounded was unbearable. But if he sabotaged the ship alongside the child, he'd be in even more trouble.

After a few more seconds of fear for himself and fear for Nya chasing each other within his mind, Jay finally gave a small nod. "Okay. Sabotage. What _kind_ of sabotage?"

Lloyd beamed with a sense of victory, reaching for one of the rusted nails that had once held the crate of oranges shut. "Ever heard of a loose cannon?"

* * *

Cole stepped out onto the deck, enjoying the cool atmosphere. The sky had grown dark, and stars were beginning to make themselves known.

Since his conversation with Nya, Cole had opted to avoid her as much as he could. He still felt guilty, but he didn't know if he was ready to hear her voice again. Not when she'd so easily opened wide the box that held all of his doubts.

 _Do you even_ want _to be what you are?_

No. Not exactly. Being a pirate had never been what he'd imagined himself as. Although he'd slowly grown accustomed to the crimes that would surround him on a daily basis, Cole's guilt never stopped eating away at his mind.

But he'd never done much to step away from the life he was in. He'd made up excuses for himself easily, knowing that pretending he didn't have a choice was far easier than owning up to the consequences.

He _wanted_ to stop, but the thought of meeting his father again left him frozen in the arms of piracy.

"Oh," Cole's eyes widened, momentarily startled. What he had first taken as a shadow, was actually the captain, leaning nonchalantly against one of the masts. "Captain."

"Can't sleep either?" Garmadon smiled, lowering the spyglass that had been pressed against his eye.

"Not really, no."

"My brother will reach us soon," Garmadon said, still facing the sea instead of Cole. "It's been quite a while since I saw him. Staying one step ahead has always seemed preferable to facing him."

Cole nodded, thinking of his own father and the convoluted emotions that kept him from a family reunion "If I may ask. . . Why fight so hard to avoid him? Aside from, you know, us being pirates and all."

"Well. . . He's my brother. We grew up together, fought together, and I always imagined he'd have my back no matter what. I never thought I'd wind up despising him as much as I do." Garmadon shook his head, memories flooding his mind. "I wasn't born into piracy, of course. There was once a time where I fought _for_ Ninjago, instead of against it."

"There is a woman in Ninjago, the only one I've ever loved. But, unfortunately, my brother loved her too."

Garmadon stopped, wondering why exactly he was sharing the story. Cole had been with him since the beginning, but there wasn't a reason for Garmadon to trust him with the one thing he'd never shared.

But it felt good. It felt good that finally someone else would know Wu wasn't as perfect as he pretended to be. It felt good to finally put into words the thoughts that had plagued him for years.

"I thought she loved me, and I thought my brother would respect that. I never feared I would lose her when I was away. Although I spent more time on the sea than the island, I never thought she would belong to anyone other than _me._ "

"We had a child. He should be ten, eleven years old now. I didn't see much of him, but I knew I wanted to be there as he grew. I wanted to be a good father. I wanted that more than anything I've ever wanted before." Garmadon chuckled. "So I decided to quit the navy. To remain on the island, with my family."

Garmadon's voice slowly dropped into silence. Cole waited patiently, knowing better than to press the captain for more. After a few seconds, Garmadon continued.

"My brother had been on another trip, he'd been sent to search for the Teapot of Tyran, to make sure none of Ninjago's enemies would stumble upon it. He arrived back in Ninjago just before I did. I spotted his ship when my own reached the docks. I didn't think twice about it. If anything, it would only mean my brother would hear of the news about me staying on the island even sooner than I'd anticipated."

"We'd barely missed each other, actually. When I was getting close to our house, he'd only just knocked."

Again, there was a brief moment of silence. Garmadon took a slow breath. "And when _my_ wife opened. . . Her eyes brightened. They brightened the way they did when she would look at me. A look I had always taken to be for me, and me alone. It was unexpected. I was rooted to the spot, in the perfect position to spy the kiss they shared seconds later."

"I was so _angry._ How could _she_ betray me? How could _he_? He was my brother. And here he was, stealing everything I had. I wanted answers. I wanted to swing my sword at them both, but I didn't. Instead, I ran."

"And that's when we met. Both running away for our own reasons. Both without anywhere to go." Garmadon sighed. "That's the last time I saw either of them. And that's why I fear what I'll do when I finally see him again."

The captain moved forward, reaching the side of the ship. "The only thing I know is. . . He'll deserve every single bit of my wrath."

* * *

"It's happening!"

Lloyd's shout was loud, but Jay didn't bother to cover his mouth. The ship itself was full of life now. With orders being shouted and footsteps scrambling to and fro, Lloyd's voice wasn't going to make much of a difference.

They had spent the night rubbing nails against the ropes that held the cannons in place, weakening them without fully forcing the rope to snap. The moment any of the sailors shot the cannon, the rope would break, sending it rolling wildly around the ship.

"A loose cannon is _really_ dangerous on a ship." Lloyd had explained earlier. "The ship is always moving, so the cannon will roll and roll, wreaking plenty of havoc! Once, one of my uncle's soldiers lost both of his legs because of one. It rolled right over him."

It didn't sound pleasant, and Jay hated to know he would be the cause of someone else's pain, but this would render the cannons useless. Nya would be safe. So he'd helped, although rather reluctantly.

And now Jay could hear the panicked shouts above him as the cannon rolled in its newfound freedom.

"We need to go!" Lloyd felt energized, knowing his father was the closest he'd ever been. He had his grappling hook; all he needed was to swing onto the opposite ship. "Come on!"

Without waiting for Jay, the kid ran forward. Jay followed, shaking his head endlessly. "No, no we can't just go _up_ there!"

"I really don't think stowaways are going to be noticed too much in the midst of battle."

"The _midst_ of battle, kid! We're going to get shot, or sliced to pieces!"

"You want to get to your friend, don't you?"

Jay muttered something under his breath, but he continued to follow.

They passed the gun deck quickly, not wanting to stay in the same room as the cannons they'd set loose. When they finally climbed out into the open, Jay felt fear rooting him to the spot. The pirate ship beside him had a group of cannons itself, and they were doing a quick job of tearing the Admiral's ship to pieces.

A couple of pirates had already swung onto the ship, mercilessly swinging their swords at their enemies. The clash of steel and the sharp smell of blood was overwhelming, and Jay found it very difficult to focus on anything.

He turned his head, trying to spot the small child that had led him into so much trouble, but Lloyd was nowhere to be seen. For a brief second, Jay spotted Kai, looking even more terrifying than usual with his sword at hand.

Jay shivered, willing himself to focus on finding the kid. The pirates wouldn't stop and ask Lloyd if he was their captain's son, and Jay didn't want him to come to any harm.

" _Lloyd!_ "

* * *

Lloyd heard Jay's shout, but he didn't bother to stop. The man would find him later.

Right now Lloyd had a purpose.

Moving through the battle was easier than he imagined it would be. Most of the fighting went on above his head, with no one bothering to look down at the child weaving throughout the clashing of swords.

And still, it didn't seem as if he were moving fast enough.

The moment Lloyd and Jay had reached the deck, Lloyd had quickly spotted his uncle, standing by the steering wheel, a gun in hand.

He'd followed his uncle's sight, his heart skipping a beat when his eyes fell upon what could be none other than his father. He was shouting orders wildly, pointing and urging the pirates around him to win. He had no idea a bullet would soon be heading towards him.

Lloyd didn't think his uncle would aim to kill, but he didn't care. He wasn't going to let _any_ harm come to his father.

So he ran, hoping to reach the steering wheel before his uncle pulled the trigger.

Without a plan that would safely rid his uncle of the gun, Lloyd decided to go for the next best thing he could think of. Even when his uncle was before him, finger slowly searching for the trigger, Lloyd continued to run, throwing his body, full force, against his uncle's back.

"What-"

Lloyd was met with no resistance, as his uncle had been solely focused on aiming his weapon. Wu fell forward, toppling over the side of the ship. A loud splash announced his safe landing in the ocean, and Lloyd found himself overcome by laughter.

"Kid!" Jay skidded into place beside him, eyeing him with horror. "That was the. . . And you just. . ."

"He'll be _fine_ ," Lloyd shrugged, pulling the makeshift grappling hook from his small bag. "Now come _on_. We need to get to my dad's ship."

"That does _not_ look safe."

"It's either that, or staying on a sinking ship." Lloyd shrugged.

"You make a good argument."


	6. Reunion

Chapter 6 - Reunion

As Misako watched Wu's ship disappear from view, a strong feeling of guilt began to overcome her. Since her talk with Lloyd the day before, she couldn't stop thinking of him, of the way she'd handled everything.

What kind of mother was she, really? She'd confined her child to his room, even put a guard outside, as if he were some kind of prisoner. She'd grown frustrated, acting on a whim. It all felt so wrong. Misako should have tried to listen. Tried to understand exactly what her son was going through.

And she _did_ know what he was going through, didn't she?

How many nights had she grown sick with longing while Garmadon was out at sea? How many times had she wished for him to stay? How many times had she wanted to go along with him?

Garmadon had always loved the sea, and he always would. His place was out there, and she and Lloyd both belonged _here_. The sooner Lloyd stopped waiting in hope, the better it would be.

Misako had never wanted to taint Lloyd's ideas of his father, but maybe a bit of honesty would strengthen the bond between mother and son. Maybe Lloyd would finally realize the life he led here was a good one, and he didn't need to keep wishing to be somewhere else.

She headed up the stairs, stopping before her son's room. She was surprised to find Zane there, she'd expected the guard to follow Wu to hell and back. "Zane? I thought you'd gone with Wu."

"I would have liked to, but the Admiral asked me to watch over you and Lloyd," Zane responded. "Although I cannot imagine anything would ever occur to either of you here in Ninjago."

"Wu worries too much." Misako shook her head, smiling slightly. "But I'll be glad to have your company. For now though, I think Lloyd will be alright without a guard by his door. I think I may have overreacted."

With a small nod, Zane stepped aside and Misako pushed the door open. "Good morning, Lloyd. I'm sorry for-"

Misako's blood ran cold and she could have sworn that, for a moment, her heart had refused to beat. With weak legs, she leaned against the door, eyes searching frantically around Lloyd's room.

"Lady Misako? Is everything alright?"

Misako shook her head, opening her mouth to try and respond. When she finally managed to speak, her voice was weak. "He's. . . gone."

* * *

Things occurred faster than Kai could have predicted.

It seemed that only seconds ago, he'd stepped out onto the deck, still stretching his body into wakefulness. And now here he was, his sword a blur of movement as he fought to stay alive. Every one of his muscles felt cramped, as the Admiral had pushed Kai's training late into the night before, until they were both fully exhausted.

Still, Kai was grateful. Although he wouldn't admit it out loud, Kai didn't think he would have survived more than a minute without the tactics the Admiral had imprinted upon his mind. Kai's body was almost moving of its own accord, the Admiral's words of advice echoing throughout his mind.

It was lucky that his body was moving without much thought, because Kai's thoughts didn't feel as straight and focused as they usually did. He knew he had to stay alive. He knew Nya was close, and he knew he couldn't fail her now, not when he'd come so far.

But Kai had also never wounded anyone before. Despite the fiery rage that would sometimes overcome him, Kai had never done much more than swing a poorly aimed punch. And now, in the midst of it all, Kai couldn't keep track of the harm the sharp metal of his sword was causing. It felt wrong, and yet, there wasn't much of a choice.

He continued to move towards the edge of the ship, determined to move onto the enemy's vessel. Nya was _so close._

A loud booming sound echoed through the air, causing his ears to ring quite painfully. Kai was sure he would _never_ grow used to the sound of a cannon. The ship shuddered beneath him, causing him to lose his balance and slam against the wooden boards.

 _Boom!_

Once more, the Admiral's ship shook. Why weren't the Admiral's cannons firing? At this rate, the pirates would easily sink the ship Kai stood on. That couldn't happen, could it? They couldn't _lose_.

And yet, he could feel the ship moving slowly under. If things continued the way they were now, Garmadon would win.

Kai stood upon the edge of the ship, judging the distance between the two vessels. If Garmadon was going to win, Kai would at least get to his sister. Then, together, they would find a way to beat the infamous pirate. They had to.

With grim determination, he jumped.

* * *

"I want to find my dad!"

"Well I think we should find Nya!"

Jay had forcefully tugged Lloyd away from the deck and down into the ship, not wanting to lose sight of the child twice. He had been pleasantly surprised when the kid's grappling hook had somehow managed to bring them both to the pirate ship, but the pleasantry quickly left him as he realized he was _in the pirate ship_.

"Look, it's a battlefield out there. We're both going to get killed if we stay there. I'm pretty sure your dad is busy either way."

Lloyd pouted, pulling away from Jay's grip and crossing his arms. "Well then _you_ stay here. And _I'll_ go up."

"No, I'm not letting you get killed. Do you really think someone's going to stop and listen to you say you're Garmadon's son? I think they're more likely to skewer you, kid."

"I think I can take care of myself."

"Of course you can." Jay shook his head. "But _please_. Your dad isn't going anywhere is he?"

With a long, dramatically resigned sigh, Lloyd finally agreed. "Fine. We'll go find your friend."

"After you then," Jay said, urging the child to stay in front of him. He didn't trust Lloyd to _not_ run off as soon as his back was turned. "You know more about ships than I do. Where would they keep her?"

"Most ships have cells at the very bottom. If it all starts to sink, whoever is imprisoned will be the first to drown. They aren't exactly a priority."

"Good thing we prevented them from using the cannons then, huh?"

"You're welcome," Lloyd beamed.

The lower they went, the darker their surroundings became. Jay felt slightly suffocated and the heavy smell of sweat and other things he'd rather not identify wasn't being very helpful. The thought of Nya spending more than a couple of seconds in this place was unbearable. He began to move faster.

They reached a small room, with only one lantern to light the surroundings. There were two cells, and there was a small shadow within the one on Jay's left side. He rushed towards it, his heart pounding loudly.

"Nya!"

The shape jolted; sharp, intelligent brown eyes locked onto Jay's. "Jay!?"

"You're okay! Well. . . alive. _Are_ you okay?"

"I'm. . . fine." Nya shook her head. "What's happening up there? Why are you here? And is that. . . the Admiral's kid?"

"I'm not _hi_ -"

Jay pressed the palm of his hand against Lloyd's mouth, quieting the kid's usual outburst. Nya looked from Lloyd to Jay, her eyes swimming with a million questions. "He's actually Garmadon's kid. Captain Garmadon? I mean. . . you know him. He did. . . kidnap you. But we came here to get you. The Admiral and his soldiers are fighting the pirates right now, that's what all the sound is about."

"I can't believe the Admiral let a kid get involved in this," Nya responded, her eyes returning to Lloyd, as Jay slowly removed his hand.

"He didn't. He wanted me to stay, but me and Jay snuck onto the ship together," Lloyd said, and Jay flinched.

"You let a _kid_ come? _Here_? I mean. . . I'm glad you're here but. . . why?"

 _Because I wasn't really thinking. Going on a rescue mission is kind of scary, and the kid was the only one with enough guts to give me a chance to come here. I just wanted to see you, make sure you were safe. Because I really like you, Nya._

"He knew more about ships," Jay chuckled awkwardly, shaking away his thoughts. "But. . . let's see if I can pick this lock. It doesn't look too complicated. Lloyd, can I borrow your hook thing for a minute?"

Lloyd nodded, handing it over swiftly. Jay twisted the metal to a more helpful shape, kneeling down to get a better look at the lock. Before he could make any progress, a set of running footsteps bounced from the hall beside them, heading straight for the room they were in.

Jay pulled Lloyd behind him, not that he would be much use against a pirate, but the man that skidded into the poorly lit room _wasn't_ an enemy.

"Jay!?"

"Kaai. . ."

"What are _you_ doing- Nevermind, I don't care." Kai turned away, his eyes searching only for his sister. He rushed towards the cell, and they both hugged as tight as the metal bars would allow. "You're okay . . . I'm so sorry it took so long. The Admiral had things to prepare and. . . I wanted to rush after you the moment it all happened."

"It's okay, Kai. I knew you'd come." Nya slowly moved back. "Now, do we have a plan to get out of here? I'm tired of this place."

"Yes," Jay said, holding up the bent metal. "I can get you out."

Kai finally looked back at Jay, although his eyes didn't linger. They instantly jumped to Lloyd, and a frown tugged down on his features. "Lloyd? You're here too? How?"

Lloyd smiled. "I have my ways."

" _You_ shouldn't be here." Kai shook his head.

"Actually," a voice behind them said, slowly stepping into the small room. " _None_ of you should be here."

* * *

"They're surrendering!"

As the shout reached Garmadon's ears, the smile across his lips widened. Of course they were surrendering. Their pompous ship had been no match for Garmadon's own. It was sinking lower and lower, and soon, all that remained aboard would be at the ocean's mercy.

Not that Garmadon cared. All those people had pledged to be loyal to the wrong man. And now they would realize their mistake.

There was only one person Garmadon wanted alive. "Find their captain and bring him to me!"

A couple of his men rushed to the other ship to begin their search. Only a few of Wu's soldiers still tried to fight, but most had dropped their weapons, waiting for Garmadon to choose their fate.

"Kruncha." Garmadon looked away from his brother's ship and back to his own.

"Yea, Cap'n?"

"Once the others are back from the sinking ship, make sure to sail us back on course to the island."

"And those that surrendered, Cap'n?"

"They'd better learn to swim."

With a soft chuckle and a nod, Kruncha went off, heading towards the ship's wheel.

Minutes later, the men he'd sent in search for his brother returned. The man they were forcefully dragging forward was soaked to the bone, and he looked _nothing_ like the brother Garmadon remembered. The brother Garmadon had left had been full of life. Blue eyes had shone with fire, and his wild blonde hair had stubbornly refused to grow grey.

And now, his little brother looked even older than Garmadon did.

Garmadon burst into laughter, studying the old man before him. "Wu? Is it really you? You look terrible. Life has not been kind to you."

"Well, thanks to you, keeping Ninjago and the ocean safe is quite the challenging job," Wu responded, lifting his head as much as the men holding him would allow. Garmadon smiled. Although his brother's eyes were shadowed with exhaustion, they were still aflame. Full of determination, of hope that things would always work out for the better.

Garmadon would gladly put the flames out, and show his brother how cruel the world _really_ was.

"You give me too much credit," the captain said. "I'm glad I've managed to give you such a hard time, even when I wasn't anywhere near. My life, on the other hand, has been quite nice. There isn't anyone who doesn't fear me, and there isn't anything I cannot obtain."

"Nothing you can't obtain? How about the family you left behind, brother?"

Garmadon flinched, barely keeping himself from striking. But now wasn't the time. "As far as I remember, I didn't choose to abandon anyone. _You_ took them from me. But that's alright. We both know there's a way for me to get _anything_ I want. Even the family I 'left behind', as you say."

"The Teapot of Tyran will only cause more trouble. You will regret every wish you make."

"We'll just have to see about that." Garmadon leaned down towards his brother, eyes glowing with fury. "Won't we?"

"Garmadon you're making a mistake. . ."

"Lock him up. I'm done talking." Garmadon turned away, the anger inside him burning throughout his chest.

* * *

Cole looked at the people before him, slowly pulling his sword from his sheath. "Well, Nya, looks like you won't be alone anymore."

"Stay back." One of the men before him stepped forward, taking a sword of his own out. There were similarities between him and Nya, and Cole pinpointed him as the girl's brother.

"Ah, so you must be Ninjago's blacksmith," Cole said. "So you know how to craft swords, but can you use them?"

"I'll show you," the blacksmith responded, moving forward to attack.

The man was good, Cole would give him that, but he was also rash, moving too forcefully, without bothering to think much about his next move. Cole, however, thought out everything carefully. He knew strategies were important, and thinking ahead could easily save a life.

Once Cole narrowed down the man's fighting pattern, getting the sword out of his hand was simple. Without a weapon, the man stumbled back. Although he was defenseless, a stubborn fire remained in his eyes.

"Please don't hurt him."

Cole turned towards Nya, although still keeping an eye on her brother. "I didn't really plan on hurting anyone."

"Oh thank the stars." The man that had remained behind Nya's brother said, sighing with relief.

"Wait," Cole shook his head. " _Jay_?"

"You know him?" Both Nya and her brother looked at Jay accusingly, and the blue eyed man shrunk further into himself.

"I wouldn't say I _know_ him. I just _met_ him. He helped me out once. That's all."

Footsteps echoed behind him, and Cole shook his head, taking a ring of keys from within his pocket. "Make that twice. Get in the cell, before someone else comes and decides you are all better off dead."

"If you think I'm-"

" _Kai_ ," Nya hissed. "Just. . . come on. What are you going to do, get yourself killed?"

"Your sister's smart," Cole said. "You should listen."

"You can't put Jay in there."

Cole frowned. A new voice? He looked down, spotting a small blonde-haired child. With his hands on his hips and his head held as high as his small neck would allow, the kid continued. "I am Lloyd _Garmadon_. Jay is my friend. You can't put him in there."

"Garmadon?" Cole almost laughed, but he remembered the story Captain had shared the night before. There _was_ a bit of a resemblance between the kid and Garmadon, but Cole couldn't be sure. The steps behind him grew louder. He inserted the key, twisting the lock and forcing the door open. "Look, I'll. . . take you to the captain. I'm sure he'll let your little friend go if you really are his son. But for now. . ."

With a scowl, Kai stepped inside, followed by Jay. The kid crossed his arms. Cole ignored him, quickly shutting and locking the cell. "Well, come on then."

Lloyd followed the black-haired pirate, giving Jay a small wave as he walked past. The kid felt a slight twinge of guilt at Jay's predicament, but most of his mind was bouncing with excitement. Finally, after everything, he was going to see his father.

The owners of the ominous footsteps finally crossed their path, and Lloyd's eyes widened with recognition. Two of his father's pirates held a man between them, one that Lloyd knew all too well.

Although bent slightly with defeat, his uncle was unmistakable.

"Lloyd?" His uncle stopped walking, his eyes creased with worry. The pirates holding him pushed him forward, forcing him to move. "Lloyd, why are you here!?"

Lloyd ignored the question, opting instead to move faster, almost pressing himself against Cole's back. His uncle continued to shout for him, but Lloyd refused to look back.

Cole guided him onto the deck. Most of the pirates around them were focused on opening the stolen goods from his uncle's ship. Lloyd wondered if it had sunk. With another pang of guilt, he thought about his uncle's soldiers, hoping no one had sunk along with it.

"Here we are then." Cole nodded his head towards a door. Lloyd stood still. What if his father didn't remember him? What if his father didn't _want_ him? Lloyd had chosen to assume the best, but what if things ended up being the worst?

After a couple of seconds of Lloyd refusing to move, Cole shrugged, leaning forward himself and giving the door a small knock.

"Come in."

Lloyd's heart jolted at the sound of his father's voice. Cole pushed the door open. "Sorry to bother you so soon after the battle, Captain, but. . . this kid here, he says he's your son."

"What?" Garmadon stood quickly, pushing the chair away from his desk in a violent fashion. His eyes moved towards the child, who stood half hidden behind Cole. Recognition struck instantly. The boy's stubbornly defiant features reminded Garmadon of his own, but it was the eyes that made Garmadon's heart jolt. They were a mirror image of Misako's. "Oh."

Gently, Cole nudged Lloyd forward. The kid took a couple of steps, watching his father, waiting for a reaction. When the waiting became unbearable, Lloyd forced away his fears. He'd gone so far in order to reach his father. He wasn't going to let fear hold him back _now_.

Lloyd ran forward, pressing himself against his father in a tight hug. Garmadon stumbled slightly, but he quickly regained his balance. "Lloyd."

Cole stepped out, closing the door behind him. Lloyd hugged tighter. "Dad!"

Finally, after a small chuckle of disbelief, Garamadon hugged Lloyd tight, lifting the boy off his feet. "Lloyd. . . How?"

"I saw your ship. The other night. I _knew_ it was you. So me and my friend stowed away in my uncle's ship and. . . and then I found you."

"Wow." Garmadon shook his head, a smile now permanently plastered upon his lips. He knew what Lloyd had done was dangerous, he couldn't believe he'd snuck around through the battle and come out without a scratch. Yet, Garmadon couldn't help but feel a wave of pride at all Lloyd had done. "I'm. . . I'm impressed."

"I missed you. Why didn't you ever come back?"

"Lloyd. . . I've missed you more than you can imagine. I'm really sorry. About all of it."

"It's okay." Lloyd nodded slowly unwrapping his arms from his father. He felt so happy, and he couldn't really be angry at his father. Not when he was _here_. Not when now he knew that his father _did_ love him. His father _hadn't_ forgotten him. "I forgive you."

For a moment, Garmadon's eyes swelled with tears. He didn't know how much he'd needed to hear those words.


	7. Wu's tale

Chapter 7 - Wu's Tale

"Well this rescue didn't turn out too well, did it?" Jay tried to laugh, fighting against the tense silence surrounding them. No one responded. Nya's eyes were closed, her head lay against her brother's shoulder. Kai simply stared ahead, his gaze burning with anger.

And the Admiral sat alone in the cell opposite of them, head down, his body looking smaller and more defenseless than what Jay was accustomed to.

"But at least we're still alive." Jay tried again, his strained effort at positivity growing weaker. "Maybe we can figure out a way out of this?"

No one seemed to take the bait. Everyone was exhausted, fighting their own battles within their head. Jay looked down, allowed the silence to win, if only for a moment. He wondered if Lloyd would be able to help them. The kid was smart and, most of all, he was extremely stubborn. If anyone had a chance at helping them, it would be him.

Jay opened his mouth to share the newfound idea, but it was Kai who spoke first. "So, I think it's about time we heard the story about my father. I'm tired of being in the dark about this mess."

Nya sat up, tilting her head up towards her brother. "What does our dad have anything to do with this?"

"If the Admiral is to be believed, father's the only reason we're here."

Nya turned towards the Admiral, waiting for him to speak. Slowly, Wu lifted his head. His eyes were darkened with worry, but he gave a small nod. "I owe you that much."

"Ten years ago, your father and I set out on a trip. . ."

* * *

" _So you truly believe it's real then, Wu?" Ray said, as they slowly drifted away from Ninjago._

 _Wu held a small map in hand, one Misako had carefully drawn herself. He trusted every one of her words and ideas, as he always had. The moment Misako had flagged the Teapot of Tyrhan as a potential threat, Wu hadn't hesitated._

" _I do." He finally responded, then headed towards the ship's wheel in order to set the course._

" _Well that's quite the discovery then," Ray smiled. "Imagine all the things we could do with something like that. Wishing for anything? We could do so much for Ninjago."_

" _No, we aren't going to use it for wishes." Misako had made Wu promise not to wish. The teapot wasn't something she trusted, and she knew that wishes came with a price. "We don't know how it all works, and we shouldn't take unnecessary risks."_

 _Ray chuckled. "You always play it safe. But alright, we'll do it your way. No wishes. Just find the teapot and come back."_

 _The trip went smoothly, until the very last day. A storm reached the ship just as they had spotted the island. Winds tore the ship apart with force, lightning aiding the process by causing the masts to burst into bright flame. Both Ray and Wu tried to help as many sailors off the ship as they could, but now, Wu couldn't quite remember if anyone had made it to safety. Ultimately, he was flung overboard, and the raging ocean soon dragged him into unconsciousness._

* * *

"How long did you and our father know each other?" Kai piped in, trying to imagine what his father must have been like during the trip. He remembered the moment his father had sailed away, but his features and personality had begun to fade away with time. This sliver of Wu's memories made his heart ache and, by the looks of it, Nya felt the same way.

"I had known your father for quite a while," Wu smiled. "We grew up together and fought alongside each other in every war that kept Ninjago safe."

"And mom?" Nya asked.

"She was one of the best blacksmiths I ever had the pleasure of knowing," the Admiral responded. "She would be really proud of you, and your work."

Nya smiled.

* * *

 _When Wu came to, He was on the island. He had been laying upon the sand long enough for his clothes to dry, and when Wu tried to move, it was a while before his muscles responded. Once he finally managed to sit up, he looked around himself, but there was nothing. No wrecked parts of the ship, and no other survivors. He was alone._

 _Shelter and water were a priority. Worrying about the others and the teapot could wait until Wu had enough strength to be of use. So he forced his body to stand, using thoughts of Misako and Ray to keep himself moving forward._

 _Most of Wu's skin ached with sunburn. There was no real way to know how long he had been laying at the mercy of the sun's rays, but it had been long enough to be of consequence. Wu's skin had begun to blister in a couple of spots, and his body felt dehydrated and weak._

 _Ultimately, Wu stumbled upon a river. With hope once again fueling his steps, Wu followed it to a small lake. The area rested beneath the shade of a couple of palm trees, something quite lucky for his aching skin. The water helped, but by then Wu had grown feverish as he began to drift in and out of consciousness once again._

 _When Wu had finally recovered enough to think about the situation, He retrieved Misako's map from his flimsy pocket. It had been damaged, but the scribbles still gave him enough information. With it, and with luck, he would be able to find the teapot and use it to his advantage._

* * *

"Oh that sounds like a bad idea," Jay shook his head.

"What would _you_ have done?" Kai turned towards him. "Actually, don't answer that and just _be quiet_."

"I don't know, maybe build a raft or something. Or a smoke signal?"

Kai rolled his eyes. Wu chuckled softly. "I assure you, Jay, wishing _was_ a bad idea. But sometimes it's hard to walk away from temptation."

"So what _did_ you wish for?" Nya said, attempting to prompt Wu back to the story.

"Something entirely different than what I had originally planned."

* * *

 _Wu did not find the teapot first._

 _When he finally stumbled upon the cave marked by Misako's map, Ray was already within. But he was not alone. The teapot was in his hand, and from it, smoke spilled upwards, eventually forming the shape of. . . something._

 _It almost resembled a man, aside from the odd shade of his skin, and the four arms extending at his sides. Ray seemed as mesmerized by the creature as Wu, but Ray recovered quickly._

" _You. . . will grant my wishes?"_

" _Not all your wishes," the creature responded. "I am only allowed to grant you three. Although I think that should be more than enough."_

" _Yes," Ray nodded. Wu knew what Ray was about to do shouldn't be done, but hadn't he been seconds away from doing the same? Wu found himself being nothing more than a spectator. His body refused to move. Whether it was due to fear or the weakness in his body, Wu couldn't tell. "It will be."_

" _I don't know if I trust you enough to wish myself back home. . . besides, that would be pointless, wouldn't it?" Ray continued, and Wu frowned, finally noticing that Ray was_ not _alright. He clutched his side, and from within his fingers, blood crawled through, along with another green liquid. Poison? "I'd be dead before I could do much. But. . . I don't want my children to wonder about me for the rest of their lives. I. . . I wish for them to have a way to find me."_

 _The creature chuckled at this, but nodded his head. "Your wish is yours to keep."_

" _I. . ." Wu could see the thoughts in Ray's mind turning, as he struggled for the right words. But his mind was slipping, he should not wish more than he already had. Wu knew he had to stop him, but he did not. "I wish. . . If I. . . I wish to. . . I wish to see Maya, one last time."_

" _Very well. . . Your wish is yours to keep." The creature smiled. A knowing, mocking smile, and Wu instantly knew Ray should not have uttered that wish. "When you pass away, she will too. You can easily meet in the afterlife."_

A small sound of surprise escaped Nya, and Kai's hands slowly tightened into fists. He shook his head. "So that's. . . That's why she . . ."

" _What? No. . . No that's not what I. . . I didn't want that for her to. . .just. . . forget it, don't do it." Ray was shaking now, too weak to think of how to erase his wish. Either way, in the panic of it all, he wouldn't be able to make a good wish. He would hurt himself even more than he already had, or even end up hurting others again._

" _You could simply wish it all away," the creature urged him, and Wu finally found the strength to move. "A couple of words. . . And it will all be gone."_

" _Ray!" Wu tried to reach him, tried to stop him. Ray's eyes spotted the shape of Wu's body, but it was too late. Ray had made his decision._

" _I. . . wish for it all to go away."_

 _The instant the words left him, his body began to fade, somehow being sucked into the teapot itself._

" _Your wish. . . is yours to keep."_

 _Once Ray was gone, the creature seemed to grow stronger, more real. On the other hand, the teapot seemed to grow dull, a weaker version of what it had been a couple of seconds ago. Wu couldn't remember the details of what Misako had told him about the creature and the teapot, but he knew whatever Ray's wish had done couldn't have been good._

" _And who exactly are you?" With Ray gone, the creature turned its full attention onto Wu, his eyes glowing with anticipation. "I suppose you want to make wishes of your own, then?"_

 _Wu knew that he shouldn't. Bringing back the lamp was all he needed to do._

" _Of course you do." Slowly, the creature smiled. "Why else would you seek me out?"_

 _When Wu still refused to speak, the creature continued. "I am Nadakhan. A very, very powerful Djinn. I could grant any wish you have."_

* * *

"Yeah right." Jay shook his head. "After what he _just_ did, he's trying to get you to wish? Talk about persistent."

"Luckily for him I didn't need much to be convinced." The Admiral shook his head. "I was foolish back then. Although my own best friend had been taken away before my eyes. . . I was still tempted to try. Ray had been weak when he had made his wishes. I was not. I thought, perhaps, I would be able to use my words correctly, to do what he had been unable to do."

Kai scowled, shaking his head.

"But now I see that I was wrong." Wu looked down. "I wound up creating far more damage than I could have thought possible."

* * *

" _Surely you have something you wish to obtain. . . Doesn't everyone?"_

 _Wu thought of Misako. He knew there was something between them. He knew he loved her, and he knew she'd grown to care for him, filling in the void Garmadon left each time he sailed away. But regardless of this, most of her heart still belonged to Garmadon. Wu didn't think his brother deserved her, not when he was always gone, never staying long enough to listen to all her stories, to learn how brilliant she was. Never staying long enough to let Misako know she was perfect._

 _And Wu knew all of it hurt her. He could see it, each time Garmadon sailed away. There had been. . . certain moments between himself and Misako, but she would always refuse to give up on Garmadon altogether. She always hoped he would return to stay, someday._

" _There's . . . Someone I love."_

" _Ah." The Djinn shook his head. "You cannot wish for love."_

" _No. . . She. . . I know she loves me," Wu continued, "but there's someone else. . . And I. . . I wish he would no longer be between us."_

 _As soon as the words were said, Wu regretted them. He did not want his brother to die, but Wu knew it was too late, and if he tried to fumble his way through other wishes, he would wind up like Ray._

" _Your wish is yours to keep," Nadakhan laughed. "If you can find a way back to your island, your rival will no longer be an issue."_

" _But. . . you are still trapped here. Which makes it all pointless, does it not?" Nadakhan pointed out. "There isn't much food on this island. . . And there are dangerous creatures crawling throughout it. There is not much hope of you making it out. You could always use one more wish. . ."_

 _Wu threw the teapot as far as he could manage, sending the Djinn reeling back along with it. After that, Wu never set foot in the cave again._

* * *

"How did you return?" Nya asked.

"Misako," Wu said. "She was with you, and your mother, when Ray wished. They watched the map grow onto your skin and knew something wasn't right. And when your mother suddenly passed away. . . She sent a ship out to find us."

"Seems like she did a lot for you. And I bet you haven't told her anything about _your_ wish, have you?" Kai said, and Nya elbowed his side.

"I know I should have," Wu shook his head. "But I haven't. Not yet."

"But. . . Wait." Jay stood. "If this. . . Djinn thing. . . It's just a trick, right? You wish, it turns your wish on you, then you wish things away, and bam, that's the end of it. If it gets rid of Garmadon, we could go home, and Ninjago would be safer."

"Tell that to the kid that brought you here," Kai hissed. "You really think he'd agree to let his father disappear?"

"I . . ." Jay bit his lip, thinking of Lloyd and his extreme determination to find his father. Guilt twisted his stomach, and he slowly slumped back onto the floor of the cell. "Sorry."

"I don't want to cause my brother any more harm than I already have," Wu stated. "But there are other dangers as well. I studied everything Misako had found on the subject of the teapot and the Djinn within it."

"One cannot wish for love, death, or more wishes. One person can only be granted three wishes." He continued. "The problem with it all, is wishing things away. The moment one does this, their soul is tied to Nadakhan. The more souls he has, the more powerful he grows. Misako feared one day he would have enough souls to shatter the bond that holds him to the teapot. I do not know how many more souls he needs. Garmadon's soul could be the one to unleash him."

Kai looked at Wu, trying to piece each bit of information together. "What exactly is the problem with him being freed?"

"Aside from the fact that he's a scary almost all-powerful creature?" Jay asked, a question that Kai ignored.

"If Nadakhan were free, he would be able to use his own power for himself." Wu shook his head. "He knows his own power better than anyone, and he would have no doubt planned step by step what he would do once he was freed. Which is why we cannot allow it."

"If Garmadon frees him. . ." Kai reached for the spot where his sword used to be, before the black-haired pirate had taken it. "I'll destroy Nadakhan with my own hands."

"Pft, good luck with _that_ ," Jay muttered, then scooted away when Kai shot him a glare. "I'm just saying! If the man, Djinn, whatever is going to have wishes, I don't know how you're going to, you know, destroy him."

"Oh, I'll find a way. Trust me on that. Maybe I'll even use you to practice."

" _Is_ there a way of defeating him?" Nya said, raising her voice to stop Jay from replying to her brother's comment. "In case we don't find a way to stop this?"

"Tiger Widow venom."

"Tiger what?" Jay frowned.

"On the island, where his teapot is hidden, that's where we can find the Tiger Widow. A giant spider, with venom powerful enough to kill a man in a matter of minutes," the Admiral explained. "It is powerful enough to weaken a Djinn, prevent him from moving for a certain amount of time. Once he is weakened, he could be wished back into the teapot."

"I don't even want to know how we would get venom from a giant spider," Jay shivered.

"If we don't want to find out, we should try to find a way out of here." Nya stood, moving close to the bars of the cell. She rattled the door, but the metal held strong, just as it had the past dozen times she'd attempted to escape. "Do you think you could still pick the lock open, Jay?"

"Not without the little metal pieces Lloyd gave me. And I dropped those when your brother and Cole were fighting."

"Which means they're still here somewhere," Nya said, her determined gaze searching the ground. The dim light made it hard to see, but with four pairs of eyes, someone was bound to spot their salvation. "And we're going to find them."


	8. The Wish

Chapter 8 - The Wish

Cole stood still, listening to every one of Wu's words.

The teapot sounded just as dangerous as he had imagined. If Garmadon got ahold of it, nothing good would come of it. Cole knew his Captain could be more than stubborn, but perhaps his brother's words would make him see reason.

He remained in the hall moments after the story ended. He listened to Nya's determined plan and couldn't help but smile. The little object they were searching for was within Cole's fingers. Hard as they searched, they wouldn't find a way out. Of course, Cole could always slide it back towards the cells. Then, eventually, they would all rush out, aiming to stop Garmadon before he committed the biggest mistake of his career.

Instead, Cole slid the metal hook into his pocket. Regardless of the danger Garmadon was set on sailing towards, the man was still his Captain. Besides, he couldn't trust Wu. If he were to defeat Garmadon, he would no doubt aim to do the 'right' thing by dragging him back to Ninjago. Then the pirate captain would face punishment for the crimes he'd committed throughout the years. Cole couldn't allow that.

Garmadon was a criminal, yes, but he wasn't truly a bad person. Cole knew Garmadon deserved a chance, and a chance wasn't something the Admiral would offer him. Step by step, Cole trudged up onto the deck, embracing the warm breeze. The sky had begun to darken, but before the sun set completely, Cole spotted the island.

They would no doubt make it there by the time daylight returned. Which meant Cole only had a couple of hours to convince his Captain to turn the vessel around and sail as far away as possible. To other treasures, to other islands. Other adventures that weren't set on ending with misfortune.

Cole's eyes studied the shape of the island. If the wishes were safe to make, would he dare make one? And what exactly could he wish for? The only thing Cole truly regretted was storming off the island without making peace with his father, but if he were to wish for a second chance, too many things would change.

He would have never met Garmadon. Would never have learned how to handle himself in battle. All the memories of the places he'd seen would vanish in an instant. The things he had learned about himself and the world around him would return to nothing more than muddled thoughts in an inexperienced mind.

No. Cole couldn't see himself wishing for anything. There wasn't really anything he couldn't eventually fix himself. Magic was unnecessary. With a shake of his head and a silent vow to stay away from wishing, Cole turned away from the island, heading towards Garmadon's quarters.

* * *

Garmadon sat back on his desk, happiness pumping endlessly throughout his body.

He couldn't remember the last time he felt quite as good. Raiding ships and unearthing treasures was utterly satisfying, but he now found that there was nothing better than listening to Lloyd ramble on for hours on end about life in Ninjago.

Hearing about Misako now and again caused a dull ache to spread throughout Garmadon's chest, but aside from that he couldn't have asked for a more pleasant way to spend an afternoon. Lloyd's knowledge of ships and the pirates throughout the ocean was rather impressive, as was his mastery of the layout of Wu's pompous mansion.

A powerful knock on the door ripped Garmadon away from his thoughts, causing him to cringe. His eyes turned towards Lloyd's small sleeping form, but the small child didn't stir. Satisfied, Garmadon moved towards the door. Cole stood just outside and Garmadon groaned inwardly. He didn't feel like dealing with the issues of his current life. For now, he longed to step back into the room and back into the illusion that things were perfectly alright.

"Lloyd's asleep," he said. Cole noticed his eyes were tired, but they also had a bright glint of joy that was hard to miss. "And I wasn't too far behind. What is it, Cole?"

"Captain, sir." Cole stepped back, inviting Garmadon to do the same. "I was wondering if I could talk to you, about. . . the teapot."

With an annoyed sight, Garmadon stepped out onto the deck, gently closing the door behind him. "You still don't believe me? You wouldn't be the only one. Half the crew is wondering if I've finally lost my mind, but I'll show you all the truth come morning."

"No. . . I believe it," Cole responded. And it wasn't a lie. At first, he'd doubted the tale, but after hearing the fear in Wu's voice, Cole couldn't help but believe. "But I heard your brother speaking of it. I don't think it's a good idea to seek it."

"Oh, what did he say, exactly? That I'd probably destroy the world if I had it in my grasp? That I'd throw him off his little pedestal, and lead Ninjago into disaster?" Garmadon laughed. "Don't worry, Cole. Surprisingly enough, I don't plan on destroying anything. All I want is a chance to be with my family."

Cole looked at the door behind them, where Garmadon's son was sleeping. After hearing the heartbreaking tale of how his Captain became what he was, Cole couldn't blame him for his wish. But the creature within the teapot was not to be trusted.

"That's not it, no." Cole shook his head. "He shared the story of how he first came to find the lamp."

"I'm listening."

So Cole spoke. He shared every bit of the story, hoping to show Garmadon how the creature could twist words and desires, using the things you wanted most to destroy you. But once Cole finished his words, there was only one emotion in Garmadon's eyes. And it was not fear, or even concern about what was to come.

No. Garmadon's eyes shone with rage.

"Wished to have me out of the way, huh?" Garmadon muttered. "And I played right into his wish, didn't I?"

"He was very wrong to wish that, yes," Cole said, regretting the way he'd gone forth and shared everything. Wu's wish hadn't been very necessary to the point Cole was trying to convey. And Wu's wish was the only thing Garmadon had taken from the story. "But that was not the point I was trying to make. The. . . This _Djinn_ , he'll most likely find a way to-"

"I know what I'm doing Cole," Garmadon hissed, leaning closer to the back-haired man. "Now I advise you to return to your post. Unless you'd rather join the prisoners in their cells?"

Cole opened his mouth, then slowly shut it with a brief shake of his head. He then turned, heading back into the belly of the ship.

Once he was out of sight, Garmadon leaned back against the door, his body fighting between rage and anguish. He wished he could blame Wu for everything, wished he could simply tear apart everything his brother had built and feel satisfied.

But then there was Misako. Wu had said she'd already loved him.

Hearing those words tore the old wound open once again. Garmadon could see it all so clearly. Misako's glowing eyes, just as she pulled Wu into a loving embrace. When had it all happened? When had she slipped away? And why? He'd trusted her, and loved her. More than anything, and more than anyone.

It hadn't been enough.

With a shake of his head, Garmadon stepped back into the room. He looked at Lloyd and knew that wishing his family back together was still his ultimate goal. But now there were also other wishes brewing in his mind. He needed to destroy his brother. And most of all, he needed to hear the truth in Misako's own words.

Not that it would be a problem. After all, the Djinn would offer him three wishes.

And three wishes was all Garmadon needed.

* * *

For the second time in a matter of hours Cole found himself standing just outside the cells.

Cole had hoped Garmadon would eventually come to his senses, if he was left to think on it for a long enough, but he had been wrong. By the time Cole had woken from a fitful sleep, they'd reached the island. And Garmadon had gone.

"I think we're at the island." Jay's voice reached Cole. "The ship doesn't feel like it's moving much."

"Great. We're at the island and we're still trapped in here." That voice belong to the man he'd fought. His voice was followed by a dull clang, and Cole imagined the man had slammed an angry fist against the bars of the cell. "I can't believe there really isn't anything we can do."

"Yeah," Nya sighed. The determination from the night before had completely vanished, leaving a void in her voice. "Nothing."

"I mean. . . Maybe he'll lose his nerve and _not_ wish," Jay said, without much real hope. "Or maybe. . . I don't know."

Cole willed himself to move forward. These were the only people that truly seemed to understand the dangers the teapot possessed. Whether Cole liked it or not, they were his only shot at stopping Garmadon in time. With Wu's knowledge of the island, he should be able to pinpoint the location faster than Garmadon would. And with all of them together, they would be able to overpower the infamous pirate without much struggle.

Still, Cole felt the disloyalty of his actions like a dark stain across his mind.

"Maybe someone will come to let you out." Cole responded to Jay's statement, finally stepping into the small hall between the cells.

"Cole!" Jay sat up, then squinted his eyes at the man before him. "But. . . Wait, why would you let us out? _You_ put us in here in the first place."

"Did Garmadon send you here?" Kai hissed, standing before his sister.

"No." Cole shook his head. "I. . . Well, I heard everything. About the teapot. I tried to convince Garmadon to leave it all alone. But of course, he didn't listen. He's headed into the island on his own. I don't know how far he's gotten, but we might still be able to catch up."

"If you heard the story, why didn't you let us out earlier?" Nya stood, stepping closer to look Cole in the eyes.

"Garmadon is the captain, despite everything," Cole responded, his gaze unwavering. "Of course, I would be hesitant to stand against him, but I can't let him do this."

Nya gave a small nod, satisfied with his answer. Kai, on the other hand, was not.

"How can we know this isn't a trap? You could be leading us to our death for all we know."

"If I wanted to kill you, I would have done it earlier," Cole said, slipping the keys from within one of his pockets. "But you're welcome to stay in your cell if you prefer."

Kai scowled, but didn't respond.

"We don't have to trust him, Kai," the Admiral pointed out, "but this might be the one chance we have to stop my brother."

"Well I trust him." Jay shrugged, stepping out of the cell before anyone else.

"Well I don't exactly trust _your_ judgement," Kai replied, but stepped out of the cell all the same. Nya followed her brother.

Cole turned, using a different key to unlock the cell the Admiral now stood in. With a brief thankful nod, he stepped out. Cole took in the sight of his permanent allies, wondering if he was doing the right thing at all.

"Well. . ." Cole turned away, leading them out onto the deck. "Like I said, I don't know how far he's gotten. He could be anywhere on the island, but we should be able to find the lamp first, with Wu's knowledge. Then we can wait."

The Admiral nodded. "Yes, that plan could work. I believe I can guide us to the cave."

"Now all we have to do is hope Garmadon wasn't smart enough to find it first," Kai muttered. "I don't like the odds."

"It might be our lucky day." Jay shrugged.

The small group reached the deck without waking the still sleeping crew, but a shout froze them in their tracks before they were able to climb down onto the island. "Hey!"

Everyone turned in unison, just in time to watch Lloyd run out of the captain's cabin. His hair and clothes were ruffled with sleep, but his eyes shone with energy. "Where are you going? Where's my dad? Where even _are_ we?"

"Lloyd." Wu stepped forward. "Return to your father's cabin."

"No," Lloyd said firmly. "Where is he? What is this?"

"We're trying to stop him from finding this silly teapot before he can wish himself out of existence so we really need to hurry, you know, before he finds it." Jay blabbered, his words spilling out fast. Kai elbowed his side, rolling his eyes at Jay's outburst. "Ow. . . Well sorry. No one told me it was supposed to be a secret."

"Teapot?" Lloyd's eyes widened. "You mean, the Teapot of Thyran? He can't do that!"

"Precisely." Wu nodded. "We will prevent him from reaching it, but you will stay here."

But, of course, Lloyd wasn't listening. He headed to the edge of the ship, and began to climb down. "I'm not going to stay. He's _my_ dad."

"The jungle isn't a playground, Lloyd. It is not safe."

Kai began to climb after Lloyd. "I think he's set his mind to come. We can make sure he's okay. Besides, he's right. It _is_ his father. If I'd had a chance to help my dad, I wouldn't have let anyone stop me."

With a sigh, Wu admitted defeat. "Very well."

They headed into the island together with Wu at the lead. The man tried his best to remember the path he'd taken into the cave. Despite his somewhat muddled memories, Wu believed they were making acceptable progress.

The problem was, Garmadon seemed to have been making progress too.

Again and again, Wu spotted his footsteps. Sometimes they would stray away from the path to the cave, but they would always reappear before them. It was as if something was tugging the pirate Captain forward, whispering the right steps into his ear.

But Wu held onto hope. In more than one way, the things occurring now could all easily be traced back to him. He wondered what caused him to move faster with each step. Was it the heavy guilt he'd carried for years, or genuine care for his brother's well-being?

"There's the cave," Wu exclaimed with relief. He hadn't seen any more trace of Garmadon's steps. They'd done it.

At the sight of their goal, the small group moved faster. Lloyd began to run easily surpassing everyone, his small steps splashing mud every which way. Before stepping into the cave, the small boy skidded to a stop. He felt his stomach ache, as he spotted the telltale footprints at the entrance of the cave.

"Lloyd, wait!" Wu shouted.

Lloyd didn't. Couldn't. He began running again, knowing it wouldn't be too long before the others reached him. Lloyd could almost feel arms wrap around him and pull him back, as Kai had done once before. But no, Lloyd couldn't let them stop him. Not again.

Not when his father was in danger. The teapot was one of the first things he'd found himself reading about, sitting alone in his mother's library. Lloyd knew the dangers of it all. He knew the lamp had the ability to snatch his father away again, this time for good.

"Dad!" Lloyd shouted, his eyes finally falling upon Garmadon's figure. "Dad, don't!"

With the mud mushed against the bottom of his shoes, Lloyd slipped against the wet stone floor, falling against it with a dull sound. Garmadon looked away from the teapot. "Lloyd?"

"Don't do it." Lloyd stood slowly. "It's dangerous."

"That's what Wu told you, isn't it?" Garmadon shook his head. "Well don't worry, Lloyd. I know far better than _he_ did. I'm going to finally set things right."

"You don't _need_ the lamp," Lloyd stated, moving closer. "We're finally together! I don't. . . I don't want to lose you. Not again."

Garmadon watched the emotion swim through his son's eyes, and slowly lowered the lamp. Maybe Lloyd was right. Maybe he truly didn't need to wish for more.

Footsteps grabbed Garmadon's attention, and he looked up to find his brother, running into the cave.

At the sight of him, Garmadon found himself once again fueled with rage. He _did_ need to wish. If only to make sure his brother suffered just as much as Garmadon had. He rubbed the side of the teapot. The Djinn made his appearance almost instantly, his shape forming from thick smoke. "Ah . . . It's been a while since someone has summoned me. Now, what is that you wish?"

"No!" Lloyd shouted.

But Garmadon waved the sound away, his mind set on revenge. What would be the best way to ruin as much of his brother's life as possible? He thought of Ninjago, and the powerful position Wu held. His brother had always been passionate about keeping the island safe, and the people within it happy.

With a somewhat sinister smile, Garmadon made his wish. "I wish every one of Ninjago's soldiers was loyal to _me_."

The Djinn smirked.

"Your wish is yours to keep."


	9. The Fall of Ninjago

Chapter 9 - The Fall of Ninjago

In the moment, Garmadon didn't feel any different, but he trusted the wish had worked, due to the anguished expression planted upon his brother's face. The Djinn flew around to face him, but Garmadon waved him away.

"No more wishes for now. I've got bigger plans." Although the Djinn looked more than annoyed, it retreated into the teapot with a small, almost mocking bow. Garmadon strapped the teapot to his side, then looked back at the group before him. "So you've decided to turn your back on me huh, Cole? That's just fine. You can enjoy the company of these people until this island gets rid of you all."

"Dad?"

Startled, Garmadon looked down at his son, instantly regretting the threatening words. Lloyd, of course, knew Garmadon was a pirate, but there was no need for his son to have a front row view to the worst side of him.

He shook his head, stepping forward to take Lloyd's hand. "Come on, Lloyd. Let's get back to the ship."

"You're not going anywhere with that teapot, Garmadon." Wu pushed the others aside, standing before his brother with a defiant look. "You don't know what kind of power you are toying with."

"And how exactly are you going to stop me?" Garmadon unsheathed his sword. The sound echoed throughout the cave, a warning. "You don't have a weapon."

Cole almost face-palmed. Weapons! Why hadn't he thought of that? As it was, he was the only one with a sword by his side. They wouldn't be able to take the teapot from Garmadon. Not like this. Cole knew his skill with the sword was more than excellent, but he also knew he wouldn't actually stand a chance against his captain.

First of all, Cole couldn't imagine himself raising his own weapon to harm Garmadon. Second, Garmadon had taught him everything he knew. He would know exactly what to do to overpower Cole.

But there _was_ someone who had a chance at stopping him. With heavy regret, Cole tossed his sword towards Wu, who caught it with a thankful nod.

Garmadon narrowed his eyes. "Even after all these years, this is the side you'll choose to fight on?"

"They're right, Captain. The teapot, it's dangerous. I do _not_ want you to make a mistake. It isn't worth it."

"I'm not your captain." Garmadon scowled. "You've made your choice."

Cole flinched at the words, finally accepting that the life he'd known for years had truly come to an end. The weight of the truth was heavy, but for now, Cole did his best to stand his ground.

"So it comes to this then." Garmadon turned back towards Wu, who had stepped closer, anticipating the fight. Garmadon let go of Lloyd's hand, standing before him in a protective manner. "A battle between brothers."

Wu didn't answer. He simply swung his sword forward, knowing that he needed to finish the battle as soon as he could. Unlike Garmadon, Wu had spent the last ten years only directing and coordinating his army. He didn't have as much stamina as Garmadon did, and his skills were slightly rustier than he would have liked them to be.

Garmadon seemed to almost dance around his blows, a knowing, mocking smile tugging at his lips. "It's been a while since you've been in a real battle, hasn't it? You've grown slow, Wu."

"Fast blows aren't the only way to win a battle," Wu replied, as sweat began to grow upon his forehead.

"Perhaps not." Garmadon moved forward, expecting Wu to block his movements. And Wu did, but Garmadon kept pushing relentlessly and with increasing speed, until finally managing to slash a wound open upon his brother's chest. "But they surely do help."

Wu stumbled back, the stinging pain making his vision blur. He raised his sword to a defensive position once more. Trying his best to ignore the pain, Wu attacked again. Garmadon smiled, enjoying every bit of the battle. Wu was clever, and Garmadon admired some of his techniques.

Regardless of Wu's talents, Garmadon was better in every way. Experience and rage sharpened the pirate, and the aging admiral was pushed further away from victory with each swing of his sword.

"You're. . . making a mistake," Wu muttered weakly, fighting to keep his body standing.

"No, Wu. _You_ made a mistake." Garmadon pressed on, placing a wound upon his brother's shaking leg next. Wu stumbled onto the ground, leaving prints of blood around him. "You made a mistake years ago, when you decided to take Misako from me."

Wu tried to reply, but forming words was far beyond him now.

"And now you're finally going to pay," Garmadon hissed, kicking Cole's sword out of his brother's hand. He then raised his own, his eyes and mind only focused upon his brother. Upon everything he'd done.

"Stop it," Lloyd said, pulling his father's arm back. Caught by surprise, Garmadon stumbled. "Don't. . . Don't _kill_ him."

Seeing the fear clearly drawn upon his son's features, Garmadon felt guilt course through him. "Lloyd. . ."

"Please."

"I won't." Garmadon shook his head, turning back to face his brother and the others. "Now, if you'll excuse us, we have a ship to catch,"

Kai's hands turned into fists. Nya placed a hand upon his shoulder, doing her best to hold back her brother's anger. As much as she wanted to swing a punch at Garmadon, she knew they had no chance against him. At least, not now.

Lloyd looked down at his uncle, wounded and pale. Seeing the truth of what his father had become terrified him, and he found himself frozen to the spot. He didn't believe Garmadon would actually harm him, but he didn't want to witness anything like _that_ again, either.

"Lloyd." Garmadon pushed past the others as they moved towards Wu, half turning to look at his son. "Come on."

For a moment, Lloyd considered staying. He definitely enjoyed Jay's company. He didn't know much about Kai, but Lloyd decided he liked him too. And the others didn't seem to be half bad. Would it be better to stay, rather than risk seeing the darker side of his father once again?

No. Lloyd looked at the teapot strapped against his father's waist. He couldn't stay. If anyone would have a chance at stopping Garmadon before he wound up wishing himself out of existence, it would be Lloyd himself.

So he stepped forward, slowly at first, growing more and more determined with each step. Yes, his father sometimes made all the wrong choices, but Lloyd believed, no he _knew_ , Garmadon could do better. His father was worth saving, and Lloyd would do his best to make sure it got done.

With shaking fingers, he told hold of his father's open hand.

* * *

Cole watched the ship sail away, his heart heavier than ever.

Nya and Kai had quickly worked to build a fire, using the flames to seal Wu's wounds shut. The old man had bled a surprising amount of blood, but he would live. At least for now. But there were still dangers on the island, and although the cave seemed to be safe, they couldn't allow themselves to let their guard down.

Cole wondered if he'd truly made the right choice. He'd once again found himself without a home, except now there truly was no one else to turn to. The others didn't trust him. Not that Cole could blame them.

"Hey."

Oh. Right. _Someone_ trusted him.

Cole didn't turn, holding to the image of his former home as it grew smaller against the horizon. He felt Jay plop down onto the ground beside him. "Sorry about. . . Well, everything. You'd been part of their crew for forever, right?"

"Ten years," Cole responded.

"Dang," Jay said. "That's a pretty long time. Who knows, maybe the kid will bring Garmadon back to his senses, and they'll come pick us up."

"Maybe."

"Or maybe we'll be stuck here forever. . ." Jay shivered.

"Maybe."

"You don't talk much, do you?"

"Well excuse me if I don't really feel like talking," Cole sighed. "I'm just. . . trying to come to terms with everything. I know being a pirate isn't exactly what you'd call paradise, but. . . As annoying as they were, that crew was my family. And Garmadon? He's one of the best people I know."

"You must not know that many people," Jay mentioned, then quickly covered his mouth in regret. "Sorry! I'm sure he was. . . something. I just haven't really seen the _best_ side of him, if I'm being honest."

"It's fine. You've got good reasons to feel the way you do."

"I do, I do." Jay nodded. "I'm sure _you_ have good reasons to feel the way you do."

Cole smiled. "I do."

"Care to share?"

"You're not going to stop trying to talk to me, are you?"

"Probably not. Kai and Nya are too busy fussing over Wu to pay me much mind. You're the only one that's actually responded to me. So now you're stuck."

"They've got the right idea. Maybe I should have ignored you too."

Jay's mouth dropped open. "Rude."

"I'm joking." Cole finally looked away from the ship, turning to look at Jay's offended expression. He chuckled. "For the most part."

Jay crossed his arms.

"But I guess it can't hurt to tell you about Garmadon." Cole turned back to face the sea, but the ship had finally faded away. "He'll probably need more than me and Lloyd to defend him once this is all over."

"Well," Jay looked at Cole, then followed the man's gaze towards the sea. "I'm listening."

* * *

Garmadon marched straight to his brother's former mansion, allowing his crew to run around the island, doing as they pleased.

They'd returned to the island in record time. His crew had been more than ecstatic when they realized that their captain had not, in fact, gone insane. The prospect of having Ninjago for themselves fueled them, and even the wind blew ceaselessly to rush their arrival.

Once docked upon the island, none of the guards made any move to stop them. They all shared the same faraway look, just as they all mindlessly obeyed each of Garmadon's words. The citizens of Ninjago quickly learned that there was nothing to protect them from the pirates spilling upon the shore.

But Garmadon didn't join their crew in the random pillaging. Instead, he stuck by Lloyd's side as they began their trip towards the mansion. Towards the place where he would finally see Misako.

Although Lloyd would refuse to admit it aloud, he couldn't help but feel a large wave of fear crash through him as he watched the island he'd grown up on slowly fall apart. Lloyd had always thought that maybe, becoming a pirate like his father and breaking every rule he could think of was the life he was destined to lead. But now, now he wasn't so sure.

He held on tightly to his father's hand, forcing himself to focus on something other than Ninjago's downfall. He began wondering what it would take to convince Garmadon to rid himself of the teapot. "So. . . what's going to happen to Ninjago?"

Garmadon stopped walking, looked down at his son's small frown. A bit of guilt created a light pressure against his chest. With a shake of his head, he took Lloyd into his arms. "Don't worry too much. Things will be fine. The only difference is, now me and you will be in charge."

"Right." Lloyd nodded slowly as his father picked him up, then continued to follow the path. "So now that we're in charge, you won't need any more wishes!"

Garmadon refrained himself from rolling his eyes. Why was _everyone_ so intent in keeping him from the wishes that were so rightfully his? Garmadon was _not_ an idiot, unlike the others who'd stumbled upon the teapot. He was going to get exactly what he wanted, and nothing more. "There are still a couple of things that need fixing . . ."

"I read all about it in mom's library. It's _dangerous_."

"Oh, come on, what's life without a bit of danger?" Garmadon smiled, but Lloyd did not return the gesture.

"I just found you," he replied, instead. "I don't _want_ to lose you again."

"Lloyd, I will _never_ leave you again. I promise."

Lloyd leaned against his father's chest, wishing he could believe his words, but Lloyd knew the creature within the teapot had skillfully tricked hundreds of people, and there was nothing to say his father wouldn't wind up playing straight into the Djinn's hands.

No, Lloyd couldn't simply trust and relax. If he was going to save his father, he'd have to take matters into his own hands. Lloyd would steal and hide the teapot, and make sure his father, or anyone else for that matter, never found it again.

The kid closed his eyes and began to formulate a plan to achieve his goals. His ideas continued to spin, slowly transforming into a dream.

* * *

Misako sat upon her son's small bed, her thoughts twisted into a turmoil that shut out the rest of the world. There were thick shadows hanging from her eyes, where lack of sleep had left its mark.

How had she not seen that, of course, her son would still try to escape? She shouldn't have left him alone. She should have _known_ , but she hadn't.

And now, the amount of things she didn't know continued to increase. She didn't know if Lloyd had reached his father. She didn't know if her son was unharmed. She didn't know _where_ exactly he could be. She didn't know if she was ever going to see him again.

As the unknown facts continued to pile on upon her mind, she stumbled upon the heaviest one of all.

She didn't know how to be a good mother.

Misako rested her tired face against her hands, but before she could allow tears to roll for the hundredth time, the door to Lloyd's room was pushed open.

Her heart dropped, and suddenly, Misako found that it was very hard to breathe. She blinked a couple of times, trying to decide whether the sight before her was real, or simply another waking dream.

Garmadon stood by the door, with Lloyd's sleeping body cradled in his arms. Misako stepped forward slowly, and he allowed her to take hold of their son. She held Lloyd against her, careful not to wake him, but barely refraining herself from squeezing him too tight.

"Better to let him rest," Garmadon pointed out, without meeting Misako's eyes. "I think me and you need to talk."

Misako nodded. She couldn't think of any words. She was, of course, more than glad to have her son safely back at home. But why was Garmadon here? And where was Wu?

She set her son down slowly, scared of the answers she would have to face when she turned back towards Garmadon.

Together, they stepped outside of Lloyd's room. Misako noticed Zane standing close by. She allowed herself to relax. The guard wouldn't let Garmadon approach her if he was a threat. Wu must have ordered them to let Garmadon inside. But why?

"So you decided to finally come back," Misako said, trying to find words to use. But how were you supposed to talk to someone you hadn't seen in years? Someone you'd begun to learn to live without?

"Finally come back?" Garmadon forced a laugh. "You make it sound like I was the one who decided to leave you."

"That's because you _did_."

"Did I really, Misako?" Garmadon shook his head. "Or did you decide to toss me aside first?"

"What are you talking about?"

"I _saw_ you. You and Wu. Years ago. When he returned from his little expedition to find the Teapot of Thyran. I saw how warmly you welcomed him." Garmadon stepped back, turning away from Misako. "You know, I never thought you'd betray me. I thought you loved me. I really did. But I guess I didn't really mean much to you."

"What?" Misako shook her head, before the memories slowly fell into place. She looked down. "Garmadon I _did_ love you. But you . . You were _never_ there."

"You could have _said_ something. You could have told me, and I would have stayed. For you, I would have done anything." The pirate shook his head, then finally turned back around. "But guess what? I'm finally going to be here. Oh yes. I'm not going to go anywhere. Not when Ninjago was oh so welcoming. I think I'll enjoy things finally going _my_ way in this place."

"What are you talking about?" Misako stepped towards Zane, but the man gave absolutely no sign that he noticed her presence. It wasn't until now that she noticed the strange, faraway look in his eyes. "Garmadon, what did you do?"

"Me?" Garmadon smiled. "All I did was make a little wish."

"Where's Wu?"

Garmadon shrugged. "He doesn't matter. _I'm_ the one that's here now."

"What did you _do_ to him!?"

"You there." Garmadon nodded towards Zane. "Take her to her room. And make sure she doesn't go anywhere."

"Zane, wait." Misako shook her head, as the once loyal soldier gripped her arm. "Zane _don't_."

But Garmadon's orders were the only thing Zane could hear.


	10. Bitter Truth

Chapter 10 - Bitter Truth

Once Garmadon was alone, Nadakhan once again exited the teapot. The Djinn's thoughts were already flowing, using the bits of information he'd learned about Garmadon to come up with the perfect way to get rid of his new master.

The man had two very obvious weaknesses.

There was the kid. Despite the purposeful gaze in Garmadon's eyes as he first unleashed Nadakhan, the pirate had hesitated at the kid's words. And on the trip to Ninjago, each conversation Nadakhan had listened to showed that Garmadon cared for the child, perhaps more than anything else.

And then there was the woman. Although their conversation had been short, Nadakhan had listened carefully, feeling the intense emotion that was packed in each word of the conversation. There were many words left unsaid, words that could perhaps prove useful for the Djinn. Brutal honesty always did have a scarring effect.

Then there was another weakness, one that was less prominent, but no less important.

Garmadon had a powerful ego. He appeared to be cocky, assuring himself and those around him that the silly Djinn trapped in the teapot couldn't outsmart him. The man was also extremely commanding, doing his best to push his confidence forth, to make sure no one doubted it was there.

But Nadakhan was willing to bet it was all an act. The Djinn guessed that if the right actions were taken, Garmadon's façade would crumble, and the man would be left in the perfect state of mind to wish everything away. All Nadakhan had to do was guide Garmadon through the worst path possible.

"So you've made Ninjago yours," the Djinn said. Garmadon stood by the window, his eyes glued upon the ocean. "What is your next wish?"

"I don't know," Garmadon muttered softly. He wanted nothing more than to be left alone. He thought about wishing the Djinn back into the teapot, but that would be nothing more than a waste.

"Of course, you should take your time." Nadakhan's voice was understanding as he moved closer to where Garmadon stood. "After all, you have only two left. You must choose carefully."

"I _know_ ," Garmadon hissed. "I've had plenty of warning about wishing. It's getting old."

"My apologies." Nadakhan bowed his head slightly. He needed Garmadon to think that Nadakhan was nothing more than a servant. The less Garmadon thought of Nadakhan, the easier it would be for the Djinn to get rid of him.

"I know what I want. I want my family back. Another chance."

"That is a noble wish," Nadakhan nodded, "but. . . perhaps it would be best to wait, before making that wish."

Garmadon turned, finally facing the Djinn. He looked into the creature's eyes, wondering what exactly went on within his mind. "What do you mean?"

"Ah well. . . I couldn't help but overhear the argument between you and that woman." The Djinn said. "It feels as if there is still so much more for her to say."

"Whatever she has to say, I don't want to hear it." Garmadon scoffed. "She would be just like my brother. Spewing out dozens of lies, just to make _me_ the root of all the problems. To make _them_ seem as if their choices were the right ones."

"Well. . . You could always wish for honesty from her. Then you would be sure to have the truth."

Garmadon nodded, slowly. It wasn't a bad idea. More than anything, he wanted to understand why, exactly, she'd done what she'd done. But he couldn't trust her to tell the truth. If he were to use a wish, however, Misako wouldn't be able to lie.

Besides, he did always have the third wish. At any time, he could wish himself back in time, to return to the family that had been forcefully snatched away from him.

He looked at the Djinn before him, knowing he was making the right choice. "I wish for Misako to _always_ tell the truth."

Nadakhan did his best to hide a triumphant smile. "Your wish is yours to keep."

* * *

"There _has_ to be a way off this island," Kai said, laying back against the ground. "We can't keep waiting for . . . For whatever we're waiting on. Ninjago is in trouble."

"What _can_ we do? Even if we managed to build something, Ninjago is _miles_ away. There's no way we could possibly make it without an actual ship." Jay pointed out. "I mean, yeah, I'm all for going back, but I am _not_ for sailing out into the ocean in a make shift boat just so we can drown or starve."

Kai scoffed. "And what happened to that annoying positive attitude you had when we were prisoners?"

"I'm all for positive thinking, but I don't want to _die_."

Cole sat slightly apart from the group, still looking over at the ocean from the cave's entrance. "Jay's right. Without a ship, we wouldn't make it too far. And even if we could build a _good_ ship from the things on this island, it would most likely take a while."

"Better than sitting around." Kai shrugged. "We have to do _something_."

Nya nodded. "We could scout the island for things to use. We'll have to get out of the cave sooner or later either way. We do need food. If the Admiral is going to get any better, we'll need to give him _something_."

"I wish he'd wake up," Jay said, looking over at the older man. Wu's skin was pale, with light drops of sweat throughout his skin. "He'd know what to do."

"We can figure it out ourselves," Nya pressed, looking over at Jay. "We can make a plan."

"I can scout the island," Kai said, already on his feet. "I'm bound to find something."

"Yeah, deadly creatures filled with venom." Jay shivered.

"Venom!" Cole's eyes lit up. "The venom. To. . . To stop the Djinn. Isn't it supposed to be on this island?"

"That's right!" Nya nodded excitedly. "While Kai scouts the island, we can go and search for the-"

"We? No. Someone's got to stay with the Admiral. Let _them_ go. You can stay here." Kai's voice was firm.

But then again, so was Nya's. "Stay? Kai you know I can take care of myself. I don't want to stand still and do _nothing_."

"You won't be doing nothing. You'll be watching over the Admiral."

Nya scoffed.

"I mean, _I_ could stay. . ." Jay suggested softly, looking from Kai to Nya. For a moment, Nya looked grateful. Then Kai shook his head.

"Nya, I couldn't. . . I don't want to think of you in danger again." Nya opened her mouth to protest, but Kai quickly continued. "I _know_ you can take care of yourself. But please."

With a sigh and a shrug, Nya looked down. "Fine."

"Thank you." After giving his sister a grateful look, one she stubbornly ignored, Kai stepped out of the cave. Cole followed, walking a couple of steps behind. Jay stood still, hesitating.

"You, um. . . You'll be okay by yourself, right?"

"You too?" Nya hissed. "I probably have more chance at surviving this island than _you_ do."

Jay flinched, but nodded. "Sorry I just. . . I don't know. We'll. . . We'll be back."

"No, wait." Nya stood. " _I'm_ sorry. That was pretty rude. I'm just tired of being told to stay back, you know?"

"I understand. Don't worry about it."

"Next time I _will_ come along. Regardless of what Kai says."

"Sounds good to me." Jay smiled.

* * *

Zane escorted Misako forward, guiding her towards Wu's office.

Well, Wu's _former_ office. Garmadon had taken a liking to the room and made it his own. The room was now much darker, and it was now filled with maps instead of Wu's orderly scribbles. When Misako stepped in, she allowed herself to look around, trying to piece together Garmadon's thoughts and plans.

"Misako." Garmadon stood behind the cluttered desk, now facing her. "I feel like last night, we left some things unsaid, didn't we? It didn't feel like we _truly_ came clean. Now, after a good night's sleep, maybe we can try again."

"Good night's sleep? I didn't get any of that. Not while worrying about what you might do to Ninjago."

"I'm not going to do anything to your precious little island," Garmadon said. "Regardless, that isn't what I brought you here to talk about."

"What _did_ you want then?"

"I want you to tell me exactly why you did what you did. Why Wu? Why leave me? What did I _do_?" Garmadon shook his head, trying to keep his thoughts together, but the memories made his emotions rise, causing his throat to clench. "I loved you, Misako. I still do. Regardless of it all. So, _why_?"

Misako thought, trying to find the best way to put her thoughts into words. A way to prevent Garmadon from hurting any more than he already was. A way to maybe, lead him to forgive both herself and Wu.

But her words had other ideas. Without realizing it, Misako began to speak.

"You were selfish. So, so selfish." Misako shook her head, trying to stop, but her voice wouldn't listen. "You were never there for me. You'd always, _always_ leave. Every time you'd show up, you'd be more than wonderful. You'd make me fall in love with you all over again. But you never stayed. For you, the ocean was always first. You never hesitated to leave. Never stopped to wonder about _me_."

"So of course I fell in love with Wu. He was kind. He was a wonderful listener. He always knew what to say, and how to make me feel better. And although, yes, he did sometimes go off into the sea, it was never quite as long, or quite as often. Wu was _there_ for me. And I fell in love with that."

"I knew it was wrong." Misako looked down. She couldn't bear what her words were doing to Garmadon, but still, they continued. "Most of all, when I found out I was going to have your child. But there just. . . There was a point where I didn't care anymore. I loved Wu. And I just. . . didn't care. I wanted a family. I wanted my baby to be happy. I wanted him to have a father, and you. . . you just weren't going to be one."

Garmadon sat still, letting the words wash over him. Part of him accepted Misako's every word. He looked at every one of his actions, wondering how many had been selfish. Most had been, hadn't they? Had he ever stopped to think about how things would affect others?

She was right about him not being a father. He'd ignored every one of his son's words, choosing instead to take the lamp and do as he pleased. Garmadon had seen the worry in Lloyd's eyes, and yet, he'd moved forward with his plans.

But another part of Garmadon was nothing but defensive. That side of him quickly overcame the other, filling him with anger. Later, his thoughts would once again darken and focus on the truth of Misako's words. But for now? For now all he desired to do was lash out. At anyone. At everyone.

"And when, may I ask, did you ever ask me to stay? When did you let me know how badly you felt? You act like such a _martyr_ , Misako, but you aren't," Garmadon hissed, knowing he _had_ to hurt Misako. It was such a powerful desire, all his other thoughts were easily overpowered. "Not at all. If you really wanted me so badly, you could have spoken up. But no. You were more than happy to bounce between myself and Wu, weren't you?"

"You could have easily ended it all. You could have talked to me. Ended it, or tried to fix it. And yet you chose to stay in a limbo, where you could have both me and my brother's love. And you know what? When you told me you were pregnant, I made a decision. I decided to stay with you. With my child. But you didn't give me a chance."

"I didn't know you'd. . . truly leave the sea for me."

"I would have done anything. But did you ever bother to ask? You whine that I did not know you, that I did not listen. But what about me? Did you know _me_? I don't think you ever bothered to." Garmadon continued, his words heated, his eyes glowing with dozens of emotions. "In the end though. . . Wu wasn't exactly a good 'father' now, was he? Look at Lloyd. First chance he had, he did the impossible to reach _me_. Seems to me like you were both awful parents."

"I've done my best, Garmadon," Misako said, her voice shaking. "I did the best that I could. I always have."

"Yeah," Garmadon chuckled. "But it wasn't enough now, was it?"

Misako's eyes swelled with tears. Garmadon's shined with victory.


	11. Broken Thoughts

Chapter 11-Broken Thoughts

Lloyd knew something wasn't right.

Well, there were lots of things that weren't right. Nothing had turned out quite the way Lloyd had expected it to, when he'd first set off to find his father, but at the moment, the twists and turns of their journey wasn't what bothered him. There was something else.

No matter how much Lloyd wandered, his mother was absolutely nowhere to be seen. And his father? The pleasant, caring Garmadon that Lloyd had encountered on the ship was now gone, replaced by a silent, moody version.

The whole mansion was filled with an uncomfortable silence, one that made Lloyd more than desperate to put everything to an end. The sooner he got rid of the teapot, the sooner everything would fall back to normal. As close to normal as it could get anyway, with his father ruling the island and the soldiers being nothing more than mindless zombies fulfilling every one of his requests.

But getting the teapot wasn't going to be simple. It sat in Wu's former office, and Lloyd's father had barely left the room that morning. Who was to say he wouldn't simply stay there for the rest of the day? Maybe even the rest of the week.

Lloyd paced up and down the hall, watching the door to the office intently. He weighed his options, finally deciding that his father was _not_ going to come out. Which meant that Lloyd would have to swipe the teapot right from under his father's nose.

It wouldn't exactly be the first time Lloyd had stolen something, but it _would_ be the first time the consequences could be more than unpleasant. If he failed, his father would know Lloyd wanted to steal the teapot, and it would never be left unattended again. If he failed, Lloyd would lose his only chance.

"You can do it Lloyd," he whispered. "You can. For dad."

With that, Lloyd took a slow breath, and knocked upon the door to Wu's office. His father opened the door, eyes heavy with exhaustion. When he looked down at Lloyd, Garmadon seemed both surprised and slightly disappointed. As if he'd been waiting for someone else.

"Hi, dad," Lloyd said, trying to act cheerful. "You've been here for forever. What are you doing?"

"Ah." Garmadon shrugged, stepping back in order to let his son come inside. "Just. . . Thinking. You know, about what kind of things we can change around here. . . Any ideas?"

"Well um. . ." Lloyd pretended to think as his eyes moved throughout the room. He spotted the teapot fairly quickly, as it was sitting upon one of the bookshelves. "Maybe we should, um. . . send, send some people to explore more of the island? There's a whole side that's just jungle."

"Hmm, that's not a bad idea." Garmadon turned away, looking out the window. "We might find something interesting."

"Y-yeah!" Lloyd's voice shook, as he inched closer to his goal. He tried to think, tried to come up with some excuse for his father to continue staring out the window, instead of at Lloyd's guilty eyes. "Mom says there are some caves hidden within the island. Maybe we could find something in them!"

For a moment, Garmadon flinched. His stance was now more rigid, his eyes deliberately facing away from his son. With a quick movement, Lloyd reached for the teapot, stuffing it beneath his shirt.

"Well. . . I'll see you. . . at dinner, then?" After Garmadon's continued silence, Lloyd tried to push the conversation, eager to run as far as he could from the office.

His father gave a small nod, and Lloyd could have sworn his voice wavered as he spoke. "Yes. Maybe."

With one last look at his father's back, Lloyd pushed the door open, running out into the hall. His feet propelled him forward, and he moved faster than he ever had before.

He _had_ to get rid of the teapot.

* * *

"I still don't see why _we_ have to be the ones going after a giant spider." Jay followed Cole closely, fearful of being left behind. "Kai got off too easy. Scouting the island? Anyone could do _that_."

"Well, he's by himself, and we're together. I think it balances out."

"I think it does _not_." Jay shook his head. "How are we even supposed to find it anyway? How are we even supposed to get the poison?"

"No idea." Cole shrugged. "I mean, if it's a _giant_ spider, I suppose we'll probably run into it sooner or later. Look for really big cobwebs?"

"I guess at least we do have a weapon." Jay looked at the sword strapped against Cole's side. "So if worse comes to worse, you can go head to head with the spider. Actually, that's not a bad idea. You should try to fight the spider. If you kill it, we'll probably be able to take as much poison from it as we need."

"And if _I'm_ fighting it, what exactly will _you_ be doing during all this?"

"Cheering you on?"

"Ha." Cole shook his head. "If we're going to do this, we're doing it together."

"What am I supposed to do, punch it? I don't have anything to defend myself with!"

"We'll think of something." Cole stopped in his tracks, studying the scenery before him. "But we better think of it fast."

Jay followed Cole's line of sight, spotting a mesh of large cobwebs stretching throughout the path before them. "You know, team work does sound good, but don't you think we need a bigger team? We _should_ do it together. All of us. So let's go back and get Nya and-"

"Come on."

Cole moved forward, knowing Jay would ultimately follow.

* * *

Kai was glad to be alone.

Things had rushed forward far too fast for his liking. One second, he'd set off to rescue his sister. And now, the Admiral was wounded, they were stranded on an island, and an infamous pirate had set sail for Ninjago along with an all-powerful Djinn. It was dizzying, to say the least.

He knew he had to keep his cool, knew that the only way to get out of the island and back into Ninjago would be to stop and _think_. Plan according to the things he had at his disposal, but it was difficult. His mind buzzed with anger, and there was such a strong desire to _do_ that it was hard to keep still.

As his pace quickened, his mind calmed. Kai pushed himself to move faster, running out of the jungle and into the beach. Once he reached the sand he stopped, his chest rising and falling as he worked to catch his breath.

The Admiral would be alright, Kai was sure of that. They just had to find a way _out_. They could build a boat. It wouldn't be too hard, but without something to make a sail out of, they wouldn't be able to move very fast. They'd never make it to Ninjago. And even if they did, it would be far too late. Garmadon would surely have-

Kai felt his frustration begin to rise again, and he forced himself to take a deep breath. Maybe they would arrive in time. After all, Garmadon had taken his kid with him. And Kai had no doubt Lloyd would go above and beyond to stop his father from using the teapot. The kid was stubborn and resourceful, and Kai couldn't help but to have faith in him.

Yes, things would work out. As long as he-

The ground beneath Kai began to shake. He looked around, his eyes searching for the source of the sudden movement, but there was nothing. With another powerful rumble, Kai fell back, body slamming against the warm sand.

He felt the sand beneath him shift, as if there was something just beneath the surface. As the ground continued to move, Kai crawled backwards, moving as far away from the shaking spot as he could manage.

In the place he'd been seconds before, the ground split apart. From within the earth, a gigantic creature leaped out. Kai managed to get a glimpse of hundreds of sharp teeth, before the creature once more dove into the earth.

"What in the world. . ."

* * *

Misako hadn't come to him. She would never, ever again come to him.

Garmadon leaned his forehead against the cool glass, letting his body slump down as soon as the door had shut behind Lloyd. He felt guilt dragging his mind down further than it ever had before, making any action insanely difficult.

Why had he done it? For the brief, pointless satisfaction of having caused her harm? Now that the sense of victory had fallen apart, he felt nothing but broken. Misako would surely never speak to him again. Whatever chance he'd had, he'd destroyed it.

No, he had not. He could still go back. Go back and fix every single mistake he'd made. He had the teapot, didn't he? Yes. It was about time for him to make the wish he'd originally desired to make. No more fooling around trying to play the part of an all-powerful tyrant. All Garmadon had ever truly wanted was his family. And there was no better time than now, to erase everything.

He turned, his eyes moving through the bookshelves, searching for the teapot. But it wasn't there. Had he misplaced it? Garmadon thought back. No, of course he hadn't. He'd always kept it close, knowing it was his only hope. And yet, it was gone.

Anger rushed through his mind. Wu had something to do with it, no doubt about it. He'd found a way back to the island, him and his broken band of little misfits. And now he'd snatched the teapot from Garmadon's grasp. Or maybe it had been Misako herself, trying to play the part of the hero. She most likely imagined she was smarter than Garmadon; that she could steal from him without suffering the consequences.

It didn't matter. If Wu or Misako truly had stolen the teapot, they wouldn't get very far. Garmadon still had control over Ninjago. He stormed out of the office, shouting at the first soldiers he stumbled upon. "Someone's stolen my teapot. It's very, _very_ important that I get it back. Make sure you make the thief pay for their actions."

The group of soldiers nodded their heads, and snapped into action. Garmadon marched back into the office, moving back towards the window.

"No one is going to make a fool out of me," he hissed. "This island is _mine_."

* * *

Lloyd heard the gate to his uncle's mansion swing open behind him, heard the shouting of orders, and rapid footsteps heading straight for him. It hadn't taken his father very long to realize the teapot was missing. Lloyd tried to push himself to move faster, determined to rid Ninjago of the Djinn.

He tried to look back, but the moment he did so, his feet fumbled beneath him. He both skidded and rolled down the steep path, eventually coming to a painful stop at the edge of the town. With a shudder, Lloyd pushed himself up onto a sitting position.

Both of his legs pulsed with sharp pain, and the same could be said for his small arms. The teapot tumbled from his shirt, falling before him. Smoke emanated from it, eventually taking the shape of the Djinn. Lloyd crawled back, shaking his head at the apparition before him.

"No, I don't want you here!" Lloyd shouted. He looked back towards the path. One of the soldiers was growing closer. He had to keep moving. Lloyd shook his head, knowing he had to rid himself of the evil creature. "I wish you'd get away from me!"

With a smile, the Djinn nodded. "Your wish, is yours to keep."

In a second, the creature had gone, leaving Lloyd alone with the teapot once more. The kid stood with shaking legs, then slowly bent down to pick up the cursed object. With small steps, Lloyd limped forward, refusing to give up.

But part of him knew it was too late. They would catch up with him. And then it would be over.

* * *

Nadakhan used the child's wish to reach Garmadon's side.

The pirate jolted, startled at the sudden appearance. "You! But. . . The teapot. It's gone. How are you here?"

"The person currently holding the teapot wished for me to leave them. I decided to rush to you. I thought you might like to know who the thief is."

"It was my brother, wasn't it?" Garmadon growled. Nadakhan simply handed the pirate his spyglass, giving a small nod towards the window.

"The thief is at the edge of town. And one of your soldiers will reach him soon."

Garmadon pressed the spyglass against his eye, searching the path. The smirk upon his face vanished in an instant, as he spotted his son, limping forward, teapot in hand. And then, a few feet behind him, was one of his soldiers. "No. . . Not Lloyd. No."

The soldier unsheathed his sword. Nadakhan moved closer towards Garmadon. "I'm afraid there's nothing you can do to help your son. You cannot possibly get there in time to stop it."

"No." Garmadon shook his head, panic rising in his mind. He couldn't think. Couldn't focus. All he could think about was how Lloyd, _Lloyd_ , was about to be struck down, due to Garmadon's own orders. Somehow, he'd managed to ruin everything. "Not Lloyd, that's not, not what I wanted."

"Well. . . There is a way to save him, of course,"

Nadakhan's voice was calm, far calmer than Garmadon's frantic thoughts. The pirate held onto the Djinn's words, his eyes almost begging for a way out. It was all too much. First Misako, now Lloyd? Garmadon realized it was becoming very, very difficult to breathe.

"You could simply wish it all away. Then the soldier would no longer have any incentive to hurt your son. He would be just fine."

That made sense. Garmadon nodded slowly. He would do anything, anything at all to keep his son safe.

"I . . ." Garmadon's voice trembled, and his eyes shone with exhaustion.

"I wish for it all to go away."


	12. Survival

Chapter 12-Survival

The lamp within Lloyd's fingers slowly began to grow old and rusted, until it was no more than a shadow of its former self. The child's heart twisted, as he imagined the only possible explanation. The Djinn had broken free. Which meant his father had given up. Lloyd had been too late.

No. No, it couldn't be too late. His father had given himself up, yes, but there had to be a way to fix it. A way to put the Djinn back in the teapot, and free whatever souls he'd trapped within.

"Master Lloyd?"

Lloyd looked away from the teapot, turning to see a rather confused Zane. His sword was half raised, as if he'd been seconds away from slashing Lloyd's back. Zane noticed this quickly, his pale hand dropping the sword instantly.

Of course! His father's wish. It had been undone, now that he. . . Lloyd shook his head. He wasn't _gone_. Just. . . Absent. For now. "Zane! Don't worry. You wouldn't have tried to hurt me if it wasn't for a wish my dad made. But it's a really long story, and we probably don't have time to iron out all the details."

"No time?"

Lloyd ignored the question, trying his best to think. He had to find a way to get his father back. There _had_ to be one. But alone, he couldn't do much. Even with Zane by his side, Lloyd didn't think he could go up against a Djinn. The creature would most likely surround himself with all sorts of defenses, to ensure the protection of his new-found freedom.

"Zane!" Lloyd shouted, startled as an idea popped into his mind. Wu's soldiers were back to normal. But if the Djinn's plans were to stay in Ninjago, he would no doubt use his powers to turn Wu's soldiers into his own. "You need to say you're loyal to _me_ now. It's important!"

"I'm. . ." Zane frowned, trying hard to understand. But doing so seemed impossible. There was a rather large blank space within his memories. All Zane knew was that Lloyd was extremely agitated. _And_ that they were out of the mansion, within the streets of the town. Had the young boy gotten back, only to run away once more? If that was the truth, he should take him back, and perhaps Wu would be able to shed light in the strange situation. "We must take you back home, Lloyd. Your mother has been extremely worried."

"No!" Lloyd shook his head frantically, trying to pull back as Zane took his hand. "Zane, don't. You have to listen to me. Wu isn't there. My dad stranded him on the island. We need to go get him back. But the Djinn. . . It can make you do _his_ bidding. That's why you were about to attack me, you weren't . . . weren't yourself. Trust me. Say you're loyal to me."

Zane stopped, knowing that the boy was speaking the truth. Honesty shone within his eyes. But Zane couldn't accept it. Had he truly been so easily controlled? Zane looked down, wondering how strong his loyalty _truly_ was, if it had been so effortlessly corrupted.

"Come on Zane," Lloyd looked back at the mansion, his stomach filling with an aching sense of dread. He wondered if the Djinn would wish soon. Wondered if he'd go in search for Lloyd, in order to snatch the rusted lamp from his grip. "We need to get going. Please say it."

Zane looked down at the child, and realized that now was not the time to dwell on his insecurities. Lloyd looked far beyond stressed, with his eyes twitching toward the path every few seconds. If Wu truly wasn't near, there wasn't anyone better to serve that Lloyd. Zane bowed his head in a small nod. "Of course I am loyal to you, Lloyd."

"Thank you." Lloyd's shoulders sagged with relief. He wasn't sure it would be enough to counter the wish, but with the way the Djinn slipped through loopholes to wind up in the worst scenario, perhaps Lloyd's own loophole would be effective. Lloyd hoped it would be. At the moment, Zane was all he had. "We need to get going. We. . . We need a ship."

Zane looked towards the beach, his eyes roaming through the ships that Wu's navy was made up of. Trying to sail with only a child to aid him would prove to be difficult. But it would not be impossible.

After all, Lloyd needed help. And Zane would do everything in his power to get Lloyd where he wanted to go. With a powerful look of determination, Zane began to trot towards the beach. "Let's go."

* * *

Kai stood as still as possible, pressing the palm of his hands heavily against the sand.

He tried to feel for the strange, sudden shudders, but there was nothing. Whatever had been there was now gone, or at least, it seemed to be. Kai stood slowly, adrenaline keeping every one of his muscles ready to sprint.

He took one step. Then another. He stopped briefly, his mind still on edge. But still, there was no movement beneath him. Slowly, he began to relax.

"Maybe I'm finally going insane." Kai chuckled, trying to shake off the fear. He began to trudge back towards the jungle, more than eager to get back to his sister. He'd seen more than enough of the island.

After a couple of steps, the ground once more began to shake. This time, the movement was stronger, as if it were emanating from different places at once. Kai tried to pinpoint an exact location, hoping to move away in time to avoid it. The ground, however, shook far too violently for him to make sense of anything.

Without having any better ideas, Kai broken into a run, hopping towards the nearest palm tree. His hands scrapped against the side of it and the muscles in his arms complained about the sudden exertion as he pulled his body upwards.

Seconds after, large holes split through the beach. This time, two of the bizarre creatures emerged, briefly slithering through the sand before returning to the ground. Kai wrapped his arms tighter around the palm tree, his mind racing, trying to make sense of it all.

He wasn't too far from the jungle. Whatever these creatures were, they seemed to at least be contained to the empty sand of the beach. Maybe he could make a run for it, and hope for the best.

But there _had_ to be a way to predict the creature's movement, had to be a way to be sure they wouldn't split the ground beneath his feet to swallow him whole. Kai shuddered at the imagery, then forced himself to think back.

As of now, there was once again no sign of the creatures. And before, when he'd been laying on the sand, they'd appeared to be gone too. It wasn't until he moved that they had returned. Maybe they responded to movement. It would make sense. If they hid beneath the earth, they wouldn't emerge until the felt something above ground.

But it wasn't just movement. It couldn't be. He'd moved a couple of steps after his first encounter, and there had been no sign of them at all. The creatures responded to _loud_ movement. Or more specifically, to sound.

"Better make sure I'm right. . ." Kai muttered to himself, reaching above him to free a large coconut from the palm tree. It weighed somewhat heavily upon his hand. "Here goes nothing."

Kai threw the coconut down, putting as much force in it as he could muster. The coconut slammed against the warm beach, tossing bits of sand every which way. As Kai had begun to guess, the creatures were instantly attracted to the sound. The ground began to tremble.

Unfortunately, Kai's throw hadn't landed as far as he'd hoped it would. It sat only a couple of feet from the palm tree, and with each shudder, Kai's grip began to slip.

When one of the creatures broke through the ground, Kai fell back.

* * *

Jay followed Cole through the jungle, sticking to the cobweb paved path. The more they walked, the thicker the shadows became. The sun had begun to lower itself against the horizon. Soon, there would be nothing but the moonlight to guide them forward. Jay quickened his pace, in order to reach Cole's side.

"We really should go back," Jay said, for what seemed to be the hundredth time. "It'll be dark soon. Then what? We can't fight if we can't see."

"There's still a bit of time," Cole insisted. "We can make it."

" _Why_ are you so persistent? How could you be so eager to fight a giant, venomous insect?"

"I don't want to sit still," The former pirate responded. He didn't want to sit in that cave, surrounded by people who thought he was a threat. He didn't want to have enough time to dwell on how much his world had changed. "If this will help us free Garmadon from the Djinn, I'd like to get it as soon as possible."

Jay sighed, slowing his walk once more, in order to stand just behind Cole. If the grumpy pirate wanted to keep going forward so badly, he could stay in front, and be the first to be eaten. The sun continued to lower, and the darkness relentlessly grew. And still, they were no closer to finding the elusive insect.

"Okay, wait." Jay sighed, leaning back against the trunk of a tree. "Can we take a break?"

"You can," Cole responded, looking back, but moving forward. "But we're close. I know it."

"I'll wait here." Jay said with a pout. "I'm _tired_. And this is-Cole!"

Cole's body had seemingly vanished, with nothing more than a brief shout. Jay pushed himself forward into a run, his eyes wide. "Cole!?"

"Stop!"

In response to Cole's sudden shout, Jay skidded to a stop. He stumbled forward, his feet stopping mere inches away from a deep hole that had been molded into the ground. Cautiously, Jay bent his body forward, in order to peek over the edge. And there was Cole, his body tangled amongst several thick webs, hanging over a seemingly bottomless abyss.

"Oh no," Jay shook his head, looking around frantically, trying to find a safe way down. "I'll. . . Can you move?"

"Of _course_ I can. I just thought this web looked comfortable." Cole rolled his eyes. "No, Jay, I can't move."

"Can't you. . . I don't know, reach your sword and cut yourself out of it?" Jay suggested, gaining an annoyed glance from Cole. "Okay, Okay. I'm trying to think. I mean. . . I guess I'll climb down. Yeah. I won't get caught in it if I'm careful, right? Yeah let's go with that. Okay."

Cole remained silent as Jay began to climb down at a rather slow pace. "Um, Jay? No pressure but. . . You might want to pick up the pace."

"I'm trying! I don't want to fall. Then we'd both be trapped and what then?"

"Really Jay." Cole pressed. "I _might_ not be alive by the time you get down here if you keep it up."

"Like I said, I'm trying." Jay slowly allowed his head to turn, in order to look down at Cole. His eyes, however, locked onto something different. The giant spider they had searched for rested upon the web, its legs moving forward at a quick pace, and with incredible confidence. "Well that's just great! There it is! Of course it's here, where else would it be?"

Jay continued to climb down, trying to push himself to move faster. But part of him knew it couldn't possibly be fast enough. No, he only had seconds in order to reach Cole. Or else, it would be too late. Jay looked down again, weighing his options.

If he jumped, he would be down before the spider got to Cole. But, he would also wind up just as tangled in the webs as the former pirate, and that would wind up sealing both of their fates. Jay's eyes began to twitch from the web to the spider, an idea blooming within his mind. It was crazy, but there was a chance for success.

If Jay jumped onto the web, he would be doomed. But if he jumped onto the _spider_. . .

He knew that if he hesitated, or tried to think out too much about the possible outcomes, he would end up doing absolutely nothing. So without any further thought, Jay pushed himself away from the wall, and leaped.

* * *

When Kai's back hit the ground, he had nothing more than a few seconds to react.

The ground beneath him shook relentlessly, making it impossible for him to stand. Kai pushed himself forward, urging his body to crawl as fast as possible. He made a mental note to get his hands on a weapon as soon as he could.

Once again, the ground split as the second creature emerged. Kai felt his body being momentarily pulled back as the sand beneath him rushed to fill the abrupt opening. He dug his fingers into the sand, using any strength he had left to pull himself forward. Kai felt the strange creature graze his feet as it traveled up, searching for its prey. He shuddered.

"You are one, really ugly thing, you know that?" Kai spat, finally able to pull himself to his feet. Raising his voice was a mistake Kai instantly came to regret. This time, the worm like creature did not return to the earth after landing against the sand. It turned towards Kai instead, slithering forward, its body moving faster than before.

With wide eyes, Kai turned towards the jungle, his feet almost slipping against the sand. Kai could feel the creature moving closer and closer. His legs burned with effort, and his breath struggled to fill his agitated lungs.

When the jungle was close enough, Kai lunged himself forward, landing face first into the muddy ground. He didn't know if the creature would contain itself to the sandy beach, but he knew he couldn't go any further. This was it.

Kai felt the earth shudder. For a moment, he shut his eyes, wondering if the creature was seconds away from lunging, or perhaps even opening up the ground beneath him. He wondered if Nya would ever be able to figure out what had happened to him, or if she would live in hope, waiting for him to show up again.

He wondered many more things, but as the seconds ticked by, Kai realized he had gone through possibilities in vain. The creature had gone. Under the blanket of the jungle's vegetation, he was safe.

Kai allowed his body to relax, making no effort to stand. He rested against the cool ground, waiting patiently for his breathing to return to normal.

* * *

" _What are you doing!?"_

Cole's shout rattled through Jay's mind, but he didn't have an answer. He'd landed on the spider's back, but now, he was out of ideas.

And the spider was far beyond happy. In fact, it was nothing short of furious. It shook its body relentlessly, pincers snapping open and shut in a frantic manner. Jay did his best to hold on, trying to think, knowing he could _not_ allow himself to get tangled up in the web.

But he couldn't stay on the spider's back either. Sooner or later, he would be flung aside.

"I need your sword, I need your sword!" Jay shouted in a panicked tone.

"If I couldn't move before, why would I be able to move _now!?"_ Cole yelled back. He tugged at his arms, but the spider web was wrapped too tightly around them both. He wasn't going to be of any help.

"I'm just trying to-" Jay's words were cut short as the spider finally succeeded in throwing Jay aside. The man flew back, his body almost flying over the side of the web and into the depths of the hole. Only his foot caught onto the sticky strings, leaving his body hanging upside down. ". . . Think of something."

The web shook slightly as the spider moved forward, heading straight for Jay's tangled foot. Jay struggled to reach up and grab the web, the underused muscles in his abdomen cringing with effort. Adrenaline fueled him just enough to reach the web, and he wrapped the fingers of his left hand tightly around one of the strings.

With the other hand, he reached for Cole's sword, stretching as far as his body could allow. The spider towered over him now, green liquid oozing from within its open mouth. Droplets fell upon Jay's face, burning against his skin.

"Jay hurry!" Cole shouted, knowing his command was useless, but unable to help himself. Worry and helplessness filled him with frustration.

Jay's fingers managed to wrap themselves against the hilt of the sword, just as the spider lunged down, its pincers ready to bite. Jay pulled at the sword, then pushed his arm upwards with a yell, shutting his eyes and expecting the worst.

His arm began to burn, almost unbearably so. He'd been bitten, hadn't he? This was it. He'd gambled and he'd lost and now both him and Cole would wind up as spider snacks. And all because Jay hadn't been able to come up with a successful plan.

"You're okay Jay!" Cole laughed, but Jay's eyes remined tightly shut. "You're way, _way_ too lucky. . . I think I lost more than a couple of years of my life just watching you. . ."

Slowly, tentatively, Jay opened his eyes. The sword had rammed itself right into the spider's head. The burning he felt was the green liquid, running down from the sword and onto Jay's arm. He let go of the weapon, wiping his skin against his shirt.

He chuckled weakly. "We did it. . . We _actually_ did it."

"Yeah," Cole smiled, then frowned. "We. . . did. But um. . . How are we going to get out?"


	13. One More Wish

Chapter 13 - Only One Wish

"I'm sorry if it's sloppy. . ." Lloyd looked down at the crudely drawn map, absent mindedly sketching extra lines in a weak effort to make it look good. "That's. . . The best I can do from memory. Do you think you can get us there?"

Zane looked down at the map. The lines were awkward in some instances, but for the most part, the map got the basic idea across. It wasn't possible to truly judge the distance between Ninjago and the other island from it, but Zane could make out which direction to head towards, at least.

"I believe I can, but it will not be easy. With only two of us, there will be a lot of work to do."

"That's okay. I'll do my best," Lloyd said.

"For now. . . We should be alright. You did a good job as we set sail. The knowledge you carry of Wu's ships is rather admirable."

"Well, I was bound to pick up _some_ things." Lloyd tried his best to sound humble, but pride shone through his green eyes. "And now I'm glad I did. The sooner we find my uncle. . . The sooner he can fix all this."

Zane gave a small nod, but he wondered if Wu would truly have a solution. Zane was still trying to come to terms with all that had occurred, and he couldn't believe in a simple end to it all as easily as Lloyd seemed to be able to.

"So. . ." Lloyd leaned against the side of the ship, watching as the wind breathed life into the sails. There was a heavy silence between Lloyd and Zane, as each tried to figure out how to act around the other. Lloyd had, of course, grown up around Zane, and his presence was more than soothing. But despite always having Zane around, Lloyd couldn't actually remember ever getting to know the man. "What do you. . . like?"

"Like?" Zane frowned. "Well. . . I have always enjoyed keeping you and your family safe. It's an honor to-"

"No no." Lloyd shook his head. "That's _work_. That doesn't count. What do you do on your free time? When you don't have to work?"

"Well. . . I. . ." Zane felt rather uncomfortable, with Lloyd's eyes boring down on him, waiting expectantly. "I don't have much free time, really. I mostly . . . work."

"Huh," Lloyd said. "Well that's just sad."

"Oh, um it is. . . it is okay. Truly. I do enjoy being in Wu's service very much."

"Well, Uncle isn't here anymore, and you said you'd be loyal to _me_." Lloyd looked at Zane, studying the quiet, seemingly simple man, but there was something more beneath his stoic exterior. There had to be. "And I say, there has to be something more than doing your job. Something you find fun! Everyone has _something_."

"I suppose so," Zane nodded slowly, wishing Lloyd's attention would be diverted away from him. But if there was anything Zane had learned about Lloyd, it was that the kid was more than stubborn. So Zane tried to think, worked through his memories, attempted to pinpoint something that would satisfy the child.

And there _was_ something, wasn't there? Something small, maybe a little silly. Something Zane hadn't really had time to dwell on, because of course, his enjoyment was not a priority. "There was. . . Well, once, the cook was having some difficulties. Some of the staff had not come to work, and he could not make the meal alone. I decided to step in and help. I do admit I enjoyed myself more than usual."

"So cooking, huh?" Lloyd smiled. "That's cool!"

"But of course, it is not my job to-"

"You should cook something! I bet we have enough things in the ship to make something good. Do you know many recipes? What can you make?"

"I have picked up a couple of dishes here and there," Zane stated, then proceeded to shake his head. "But we must make sure the ship stays on course. We cannot waste time."

"You worry too much!" Lloyd stated, pushing away from the edge of the ship, and towards the steps that led down to the hold. "We'll be okay. Besides, we have to eat anyway, don't we?"

"I. . . Well. . . That is true, but. . ."

"Zane, _I'm_ in charge." Lloyd trotted down the steps, signaling Zane to follow. "And I say you should make us something delicious!"

Zane looked back at the open ocean one last time, before finally giving in and following Lloyd's steps.

* * *

Nadakhan was free.

He could feel the difference instantly. There was no insistent tug pulling him back towards the teapot. No stubborn whispers in his mind ordering him to grant every wish. But most of all, there was no one to serve.

No. Now, Nadakhan belonged only to himself. There would be no more masters.

Nadakhan felt better than he'd ever felt before.

This freedom had to be his, forever. He could not allow anyone to ever come close to chaining him down again. The best thing to do would be to remain in Ninjago, to make it _his_ island, a place where no one would ever come close to sticking him back into the suffocating teapot.

Garmadon's idea to turn Wu's soldiers into his own had not been a bad one. Yes, the pirate captain hadn't been quite as foolish as others Nadakhan had encountered in his past. But, nevertheless, Garmadon had his weaknesses. His sharp mind had been corrupted all too easily by the rampaging emotions within his heart.

Nadakhan would not allow anything to weaken him. He had spent years watching others fail. He knew exactly which paths would only bring misfortune, and which would bring glory. Nadakhan closed his eyes, focusing on the power within him.

"I wish for the soldiers loyal to Wu, to find their loyalty now lies with _me_."

He felt the wish make its way throughout him, before finally settling itself upon reality. Nadakhan smiled, and chuckled softly, before responding to himself. "Your wish, is yours to keep."

Now. . . Now he was safe.

Safe. . . But alone. Nadakhan thought back to his short years of freedom, to the crew he had once shared his life with. They had been vanished from this world altogether, a cruel way to punish Nadakhan for his misdeeds.

It did not matter. Nadakhan could bring them back. _Would_ bring them back. With the ability to grant himself no more than a single wish per sunrise, however, it would be a slow, agonizing progress. The Djinn would need more souls, in order to gain more wishes.

Luckily for him, he knew of at least one person in Ninjago whose mind was close to rupturing.

* * *

"How bad does it look?"

Cole studied Jay's face in the moonlight, eyes running through the small scars the spider's venom had burned upon his skin. For the most part, they were small, barely noticeable. Except for one, which had burned straight through his right eyebrow.

"Well. . . I don't think it looks _bad_." Cole answered honestly. "It gives your face a little more. . . character."

"Character." Jay rolled his eyes, feeling the slanted scar across his eyebrow. "Yeah right. It's awful, isn't it? Just be honest. It's okay. I can handle it."

"You look _fine_ ," Cole pressed. "Now let's get back to the others. Hopefully Kai found something helpful. If not, at least we got the venom."

Jay nodded, following Cole as he headed back through the path. The way back to the cave felt far shorter than the path they'd taken to the spider, a fact that Jay was more than glad for. After struggling to climb out of the web for what had felt like hours, his body was more than ready to call it quits.

Inside the cave, Kai had already returned, and he was engaged in conversation with Nya. They looked up in unison as Cole and Jay stepped inside. "You're back!"

Jay smiled, enjoying the hint of worry ringing in Nya's words. "Yup! And we got the spider venom!"

"Yeah, you got the venom alright." Kai responded, eyeing Jay's scars with mild amusement. "I didn't think the plan was to get it all over your face though."

"It's- I. . . We . . ." Jay stuttered, his cheeks glowing red as he tried to search for a witty remark.

"The spider came close to killing us both. Thus, the scars." Cole stepped in. "If it wasn't for Jay, we would've probably died, if I'm honest. He was pretty brilliant."

"Really?" Nya smiled, and Jay gave Cole a grateful look. "Well. . . You don't look bad either way. I like it. Adds character."

"Told you so." Cole smirked.

"Well thank you." Jay beamed.

Kai rolled his eyes. "Okay, so we've got the venom, but Wu's still unconscious and we have no way off the island. Seems to me like we're still stuck at square one. Plus, the beach is most definitely out of limits."

"Why?" Jay asked, plopping down in front of the small fire that lit the cave.

"Trust me, you don't want to know." Kai shuddered.

"We might. . . We might have no other choice but to wait." Nya sighed. "I hate to say it but. . . We're stuck. At least for now."

Nya felt the helplessness like a heavy cloak around her, weighing down every one of her thoughts. She could do nothing.

Kai wondered about Lloyd, his gut twisting with worry at every grim possibility. The kid was brave, and there was no denying he was smart, but in the end he was still just a kid.

Jay couldn't help but stress about his parents, stuck in Ninjago with a crazed Djinn and an infamous pirate. He had no way of knowing if they were okay, and had no way to let them know that _he_ was okay.

Cole thought of nothing but Garmadon, hoping with all his might that the man was still alright. He wondered if, perhaps, staying by his side would have been the best course of action.

They all sighed in unison, lost within their own troubles.

* * *

Misako didn't know how long she'd been in the library.

Hours, surely, but how many? Not enough. She still didn't feel okay. Didn't feel like she could step outside. Too much was going on. And she was to blame for most of it.

But she couldn't stay in here forever. She knew that. There was Lloyd to worry about. She couldn't leave him alone with his father running around attached to a cunning Djinn. Garmadon had been right when he'd pointed out what a horrible mother she'd been, but it was never too late to change, never too late to do better.

Right?

Misako willed herself to stand. She wasn't just worried about Lloyd. She was worried about Garmadon too. She couldn't let him carry on with the Djinn by his side. Sooner or later, things would go wrong.

"You have to stop feeling sorry for yourself." Misako hissed at her wavering reflection against the window. "You brought this onto yourself, didn't you? Now do something about it before it's too late. . ."

Behind her reflection, a menacing shape grew. Misako whirled around, taking a couple of steps back as she recognize the Djinn before her. She narrowed her eyes, willing her mind to remain steady. "What are you doing here? Did Garmadon send you? Well you can tell him I've had more than enough of this."

"Garmadon? No, no." The Djinn shook his head, gliding closer. "He is. . . Well let's say he will not be making any more requests any time soon."

"No." Misako shook her head. Garmadon couldn't be gone. "This is a trick. I won't fall for it."

The Djinn shrugged. "Believe what you must."

Misako didn't want to believe in the Djinn's words, but how could she not? She knew that the Djinn was confined to the lamp, knew that he couldn't move freely on his own. There were only two possibilities. Garmadon had wished for the Djinn to find Misako, and torment her. Or Garmadon truly had. . . gone. Just as Ray had, years before.

She had to admit that Garmadon wishing for the Djinn to torment her didn't seem very possible. Garmadon could be cruel when he was angered, but he wouldn't have gone _this_ far. Besides, it would have been a waste of a wish, wouldn't it?

And if Garmadon was gone. . . Misako's stomach twisted. What about Lloyd?

She looked up at the Djinn, her eyes flashing with emotions. "Where is my son?"

Nadakhan gave a small shrug. "And why should I tell you?"

"If you don't I'll. . .I will. . ." Misako's voice shook. She would what? It wasn't as if she could actually _fight_ the Djinn and come out on top. She had nothing to use against him.

"Will what?" Nadakhan smiled. He could see the rampaging thoughts running through the woman's eyes. Could see how close her mind was to the breaking point. He simply had to keep pushing.

Misako shrugged. "I will find where my son is myself."

She headed towards the library doors, but the handles refused to twist open. The door had been locked from the outside. With shaking hands she rattled the doorknobs, even though she knew it was pointless. She was trapped.

"This is stupid," she growled, twisting around to face the Djinn once again. "Just let me out!"

"I do not really feel like doing so," Nadakhan shrugged. "But there is _one_ way to know where your son is, isn't there? I may not be confined to my teapot, but I would be more than willing to grant you a wish."

Misako shook her head, but it was a weak gesture. She knew listening to the Djinn was a mistake. Yet. . . it was only one wish. There wasn't much harm in that.

"I. . ." Misako sighed in defeat. "I wish to know where my son is."

"Your wish, is yours to keep."

Reality before Misako rippled. Instead of rows and rows of shelves, she was suddenly standing on a ship, seemingly in the middle of nowhere. It took her a couple of seconds to spot her son. He was curled up on the side of the deck, half hidden in the shadows. His body was covered in a tattered sheet, and against his cheeks were dried, dirty tears.

"Lloyd!" Misako reached out, but the moment she took a step forward, the illusion broke. She was back in the library, miles and miles away from Lloyd. "No, no bring him back, I . . . Where _is_ he? That didn't explain anything!"

"You wished to know where he was. And you now know, he is on a ship." Nadakhan laughed. "Could be heading anywhere. The ocean is quite vast. You would never find him."

Misako knew the Djinn was right, but there had to be a way to get to him. Another wish, maybe? But how, how could she word it in a way that would benefit _her_ and not the Djinn? Wishing to be by her son's side could end up in another illusion. Wishing for his exact location wouldn't help her at all, not without knowing how to sail.

"Hmm. . . I see you are very worried," Nadakhan said. "And me? I am a kind Djinn, truly. So I will tell you where your son is heading."

"He is heading for the island where they originally found my teapot." When Misako's eyes widened, Nadakhan continued. "Yes, you know it well do you not? You seem to have a good thirst for knowledge. I am sure you know of all the dangers that island holds."

"Why?" Misako questioned. "Why would he go? He can't. . . He can't be there. Not by himself."

"Why? Well that is a simple question." Nadakhan said, as he tried to formulate a clever answer. They had left behind quite a couple of people on that island. Lloyd most likely believed he would find help there. "He wants his father back. And he believes someone there might have the answer as to _how_ to go about it all."

Wu was still on the island. Misako frowned. But why would Lloyd go search for _him_? Wu didn't know as much about the Djinn as _she_ did. It didn't make sense.

Except. . . It did. Misako had spent most of the day hiding out in the library. In her desperation to stay away from Garmadon's accusing eyes, she'd wound up abandoning her son. Of course Lloyd had gone after Wu. Misako hadn't been there.

She leaned back against the locked doors, sliding down onto the floor. "Well. . . he will be safe. Wu. . . Wu will take care of him."

"Will he? Perhaps. . . If he is alive."

"What?"

"Are you really so sure Garmadon didn't kill him?"

"He wouldn't! No. I'm sure of it. Garmadon would never. . ."

 _Was_ she sure of it? The increasing worry in her mind told her the opposite. She'd seen the state Garmadon had been in. Seen the rage in his eyes. For years, the sting of betrayal had clung to his mind, increasing the desire for revenge with each day.

How could she be sure Garmadon hadn't killed Wu?

Another wish. It was the only way. The Djinn wouldn't give up any information freely. One more wish wouldn't hurt. Not if she was careful.

Nadakhan watched her patiently, knowing she would eventually give in.

"I. . . I wish to see Wu."

The Djinn did his best not to smile. The woman was foolish, so, so foolish. She wanted to see Wu? She would see him. Nadakhan would show her a reality in which Wu had, in fact, died. After all, Misako hadn't asked to see the truth.

"Your wish, is yours to keep."

Just like before, the world around her changed. She found herself in a cave this time. Misako felt a cold breeze blow in from outside, causing her to shiver. She walked deeper inside, her eyes searching desperately.

And then, she spotted him.

Wu's body lay against the ground, dried blood staining his chest. His skin was pale, his eyes half closed, completely devoid of life. Misako felt a strong ache growing from her heart, as it shattered into more fragments than she could collect. Wu was dead. Her son was mostly likely heading towards the same grim fate. And all, all because of her.

The scenery changed. She was back in the library.

Everything inside her hurt. She couldn't think, not with her mind plagued with guilt. Misako was alone. Her fickle heart had caused the end of both of the men she'd loved. And her selfish thoughts and self-pitying attitude had made her abandon her son in the moments when he most needed her.

Misako looked at Nadakhan, knowing her next decision was going to be her most selfish of all.

But what could she do? What could she do, other than make things worse? There was no point in fighting. She could care less if the Djinn grew stronger from her decision. It didn't matter. She was guilty of too much. She couldn't bear it.

Well then. One more wish. Her last.

"I wish. . . I wish for it all to go away!"

Nadakhan rejoiced. Misako bowed her head.

"Your wish, is yours to keep."


	14. New Perspectives

Chapter 14 - New Perspectives

"Still awake, Kai? Rest is important you know."

Kai whirled around, fast enough to make his head spin. There, just a couple of feet behind him, stood the Admiral. His skin was pale and he seemed smaller than he had before. As if the weight of everything had caused him to shrink into himself, but Kai could care less. The man was alive. That's all that really mattered.

"Admiral!" He exclaimed, stumbling to stand. "You're alright!"

"Well, of course." The Admiral nodded his head with a sly smile. "Why, it'll take much more than that to get rid of me."

"We were all worried that. . ." Kai shook his head. "But it doesn't matter. We really need your help now. Garmadon and Lloyd are gone and there's just no way off of the island. We got the spider venom that you mentioned, but there's not really a point to having it if we're stuck here. Who knows how bad things are in Ninjago now. We don't know what to do."

"Hmm," Wu said. "That does seem like we're in quite a bit of trouble."

"Yes," Kai said, a slight tone of irritation in his voice. "We're very much in trouble. We need to get back. How can we do that?"

"Well, I don't know." The Admiral gave a small shrug. "We are marooned on the island. There is not much we can do, other than wait."

Kai felt a strong wave of disappointment ripple through him. It had been childish to believe that the Admiral could hold all the answers, but Kai had believed it anyway. But the Admiral had absolutely nothing to offer. They were as stuck as before.

"We _can't_ wait," Kai pressed, trying to push away the weight of all the negative and unwanted thoughts buzzing in and out of his mind. "Lloyd could be in trouble."

"You seem really worried about my nephew." Wu's voice was far too calm for Kai's liking. He didn't know if the man was simply downplaying his emotions, or if he truly was so unconcerned. "Why is that?"

"Why are you not?" Kai shook his head. "Anything could have happened. And you aren't worried?"

"Lloyd. . . Well he is very resilient."

"Maybe, but he's just a kid. He shouldn't. . . This shouldn't be one of his problems. He should be enjoying as much as he can of his childhood."

"Some of us must grow faster than others." Wu turned away from the ocean, looking straight into Kai's stressed eyes. "You know that very well, don't you?"

Kai didn't nod, but he knew that the Admiral could see the truth in his eyes. "He shouldn't have to."

"No. None of us should be ushered out of our childhood, but life is not something we can always control."

"I just hope he really is alright," Kai sighed. "I hope Ninjago hasn't fallen apart."

* * *

Zane watched the dark ocean before them, fascinated by the way it seemed to carry on forever. It would be so easy to wind up lost at sea, if one didn't know how to use the world around them in order to chart the correct course.

Life was much the same way, Zane figured. One could sail on forever, not knowing where to go, never arriving at a place to call home. Or even sailing to the wrong place altogether, where you could remain stuck for far longer than you mean to, and all because there is fear keeping you from sailing once again.

Zane had thought he was more than happy where he had been. He had a place where he belonged, and he had a purpose. There wasn't much else anyone could ask for, so Zane was always content with what he had, or at least, that's what he told himself, over and over. He had to be grateful. Had to serve the man who had taken him in when he had been lost, without any memory of himself.

But being with Lloyd had made Zane wonder. Perhaps there _was_ more to life than serving others, and protecting others. These things would, of course, always be part of who he was. The thing was, these things didn't have to be _all_ that he was. He could be there for others, but he should also be there for himself.

Listen to his own thoughts and desires in order to figure out who he truly was.

He looked over at the child, who had wound up sleeping out on the deck. At first, his sleep had been fitful, but for now, he seemed to be at peace. Zane hoped the child would have pleasant dreams. He deserved that much, at the very least.

Zane turned back towards the ocean, willing the island to grow against the horizon, although he knew it was much too soon to have arrived. They would perhaps reach the island in a day or so, but Zane was anxious for the trip to end.

Ninjago was in dire peril now that it was at the hands of the Djinn. And although Zane was still unsure of who was, or who he wanted to be, there was one thing he knew for sure.

He _needed_ to keep Ninjago and its people safe at all costs.

* * *

Kai could almost swear that time had deliberately decided to move slower that day.

There was nothing to do. Nothing. They all pretended to busy themselves with meaningless tasks, but in the end, nothing of importance was done. Cole and Jay searched around for edible fruit. Nya stepped out in order to collect unnecessary firewood. Kai didn't even try to create an excuse. He simply stepped outside to walk, to _move_ before the cave manage to suffocate whatever scraps of sanity he had left.

And worst of all, was the Admiral himself. At this point, Kai had very, _very_ conflicting feelings about the man. Since he was a child, Kai had found himself looking up at the Admiral with awe. The stories of the battles he'd fought and the distances he'd sailed were nothing short of inspiring.

Then, there had been the trip to rescue Nya. Although The Admiral had managed to get on Kai's nerves, he had to admit that the older man before him lived to every one of his expectations. He was an excellent teacher, and most of all, an excellent leader.

But after Garmadon had triumphed, everything had gone downhill faster than Kai could keep up with. And now, the man he'd admired for so many years was doing absolutely nothing. He didn't have wisdom to impart. Didn't have a plan. Didn't try to band the people before him together. He did _nothing_.

It was infuriating, to say the least. But mostly, it was disappointing.

With a sigh, Kai began to turn back, away from his pointless march around the jungle. Before his back could face the sea, he managed to catch a glimpse of something against the horizon. It took a moment to register, but once it did, Kai whirled back around, his eyes wide, searching.

For a second, he feared he'd only imagined it. But no, there it was, a small smudge against the clear sky. A ship.

Lloyd? Garmadon? Perhaps someone else entirely. It didn't matter. It was a ship. A way out of the island. It was _something_.

He ran to the cave, his heart pumping with anticipation. His loud footsteps echoed as he skidded inside, causing everyone to look up. "There's a ship."

"A ship?" Cole sprang to his feet, a hopeful look in his eyes.

"Yeah." Kai nodded. "It's still far but it's definitely heading this way."

Cole trotted towards the cave's exit, yearning to catch a glimpse of the ship himself. Kai turned to look at the others. "It _has_ to be either Lloyd, or Garmadon doesn't it? No one else knows about the island."

"It doesn't matter who it is," Jay said, a smile tugging at his lips. "It's a _ship._ A ship! We're finally getting out of here!"

"You act like we've been stranded for months." Nya rolled her eyes, but she couldn't help but smile as well. "Well, to be fair, it _has_ felt like months."

"We should go down to the beach and-" Kai stopped, a warning emerging from the back of his mind. The beach. The creatures. True, the first time they'd set foot on the island, they hadn't emerged. But he couldn't be sure such a thing would occur twice. "We need to get as many coconuts as we can. Or anything heavy really. Before the ship gets here."

"Uh. . . Are we going to. . . _attack_ whoever is on the ship?" Jay raised his scarred eyebrow in a questioning manner. "Or did being stuck on an island finally drive you to insanity?"

"Shut up." Kai hissed, and Jay raised his arms in surrender. "But remember how I said we should keep off of the beach? There's. . . Well. . . I don't know exactly what it is, but there's definitely some kind of creature. It tried to eat me. More than once."

"Riiight." Jay muttered.

"You know, maybe I'll just throw you onto the beach, and you'll believe me once you're a monster's snack."

"I'm just _saying_ it sounds a bit. . . crazy."

"You just fought a giant spider and you want to talk about crazy?"

"Okay, okay fair enough."

Cole stepped back into the cave, his eyes shinning with a hope he couldn't hide. "The ship will probably be here just before sundown."

"Well," the Admiral stood, speaking up for the first time. "Do you have a plan to make the beach safe enough to cross, Kai?"

* * *

"Yes! That's the island!" Lloyd pumped the air excitedly. "We did it!"

Zane nodded. If he was honest with himself, he could hardly believe it. He had never gone this far on his own. Crossing the ocean with only his mind and a child to aid him was not something he had ever thought he would do. And yet, here he was. They had, indeed, done it.

"Do you think they're all okay?" Lloyd's eyes were glued upon the island, almost fearing it would slip away if he allowed it to move away from his sight.

"I would like to believe so."

"Me too. . ."

Lloyd willed the ship to move faster, his stomach queasy, the tense suspense of whatever the island held keeping his mind on edge.

* * *

"I still. . . think. . . you're. . . crazy." Jay's words were more effort than they were worth. His arms were holding tightly a vine, which held up a crudely formed net, above the beach. Within it, lay rocks, coconuts, and other objects Kai had deemed heavy enough to do the job.

"Don't waste your breath. You're struggling as it is." Cole pointed out, as he held the opposite end of the net, without effort.

Jay pouted, but stayed silence, at least for the moment. Kai held onto a net himself, one he was holding up alongside his sister. It was filled with the same materials, things that would hopefully confused the strange creatures roaming beneath the sand.

"You'll see soon enough. Try not to freak out too much when you do though. We _are_ gonna need to move fairly fast."

"I thought you said the ship was almost here." Nya hissed through gritted teeth. "My arms are getting tired."

 _Tell me about it,_ Jay thought, although he wisely kept his mouth shut.

"Not much longer now." The Admiral replied. He stood almost at the edge of the sand. "Soon the ship will be close enough to swim to."

"Perfect," Kai muttered, and edge of sarcasm in his voice. He was beyond ready to leave the island, but he was _not_ ready to set foot in the war. With his lack of swimming skills, he would have no choice but to cling onto his sister for dear life. Something he knew she would never allow him to forget.

"Be ready," the Admiral stated, raising his arm in preparation to give the signal.

Seconds ticked forward, irritably slow.

The Admiral dropped his arm. "Now!"

In an instant, everyone released the nets, allowing the mismatched objects to tumble onto the sand. Almost instantly, the ground began to shudder. Jay's eyes widened, and Kai couldn't help but smirk.

"Okay we need to _go_." Kai half shouted, running down the beach as the first of the creatures emerged. Nya kept pace with him, and the both hit the water in unison. The others weren't far behind.

"You were _not_ lying." Jay swam past Kai and Nya, determined to get out of the island as fast as he could. "Wow!"

"You're welcome." Kai responded, struggling to keep afloat, even with Nya's aid.

From the ship, a small excited face peered over the side. Lloyd waved, tossing down a rope over the side of the ship. "Hello!"

"Lloyd!" Jay smiled, reaching for the rope. "Should've known it was you. I've gotta say, I'm impressed. I didn't think you'd be able to sail a ship all the way back to the island."

"Well I had help," Lloyd stated, and Zane stepped into view.

"Zane?" The Admiral reached for the rope, climbing just behind Cole. "How exactly did you manage to reach the island? What is going in Ninjago? Is it only you two on the ship?"

"Yes, it's only us. And we _sailed_ to the island, obviously." Lloyd responded. "And. . . lots of things are going on in Ninjago."

Jay climbed over the side and onto the deck, water dripping endlessly from his clothes. "What do you mean?"

"I _mean_ ," Lloyd said, shifting his eyes away from everyone. "I mean that, well the Djinn is basically in charge now."

"Ah," Cole said, the implications of Lloyd's words causing a dull ache in his chest. "So Garmadon is. . ."

"Yup." Lloyd shrugged, forcing himself to act nonchalant. "But it's fine. There's got to be a way to bring him back, right? I mean. . . I, I still have the teapot. Maybe we can somehow trap him back inside, bring everything back to normal."

"Perhaps," Wu agreed. "I'm sure Misako would know of a way."

"Why don't we just wish for him to fix things?" Jay said, pointing at the small container filled with venom that was strapped to his side. "We hit him with this, he's weakened, we wish. End of story."

"Yeah I'm pretty sure the point of all this is that we _shouldn't_ wish." Kai said, rolling his eyes as he finally reached the deck. "Nothing's gone right for anyone who's done so."

"Okay then what do _you_ suggest?"

Kai remained quiet.

"Thought so."

"No, no." Wu shook his head. "Kai is right. We should stay away from wishing."

"So how _do_ we get my dad back, then?" Lloyd crossed his arms, eyes locked with those of his uncle. "I say _Jay_ is right. The only way to really fix this is to use a wish."

"It would be unwise to-"

"Look," Nya stepped forward, trying to wring the water out of her hair. "We'll figure it out. We've got more than enough time to come up with ideas on the trip back. But I think for now we all deserve some food and rest. We'll think better if we're not exhausted."

"I like that idea," Jay nodded, rubbing his stomach. "It's not like we got much to eat on the stupid island. Plus I could _most_ definitely use some rest."

"It's settled then." Nya nodded. "No more Djinn talk until we're all refreshed."


	15. Captain Soto

Chapter 15 - Captain Soto

"We'll fix this, you'll see."

Kai looked at Lloyd, wondering what the child's thoughts were. They had both been the first to wake up, aside from Zane, who had seemingly never left his post at the wheel. Bizarrely enough, the man didn't seem tired either.

"I know." Lloyd shrugged.

"Ah." Kai nodded slowly. "That's good then. . ."

"I wonder what he's done to Ninajgo. He isn't-" Lloyd froze, a small frown tugging at his features. Finally, after going through a rollercoaster of emotions and a somewhat exhausting trip, Lloyd's thoughts fell back toward his mother. She was still on the island, wasn't she? "Oh."

"What? What's wrong?"

"My mom." Lloyd frowned up at Kai. "She's still in Ninjago. I didn't. . . I wanted to take the lamp away from dad so bad, and then it all went wrong, and then Zane and I just sailed out of there and. . . I forgot about her."

"Oh." Kai searched for something to say. Before he could settle on something, however, the Admiral stepped out onto the deck, placing a hand on Lloyd's shoulder.

"I am sure your mother will be able to take care of herself. After all, she does know the most about the Djinn, does she not?"

"Yeah. . ." Lloyd nodded slowly. His mom _did_ know a lot. Maybe she would be okay. Regardless of the words from his uncle, Lloyd's knees felt weak. He'd already lost his dad. What if his mom was gone now, too?

"The only thing we can do is hope for the best, and sail towards Ninjago as fast as we can."

Kai looked at the Admiral, then towards the ocean. "And what about when we reach the island? What's the plan going to be?"

"First, I believe getting the Djinn trapped once more is our priority. Once he can't make wishes of his own, we'll have enough time to figure out the rest."

"I hope we get to Ninjago fast." Jay emerged out on deck, followed by both Nya and Cole. "I don't even want to think of what Nadakhan is doing."

Cole looked around, trying to see if he could pin point their exact location, in order to give Jay a rough estimate on how long they still had to go. Without the stars above him, however, it was difficult to guess their position. There was nothing but an endless ocean and a clear sky.

No, that wasn't right. There _was_ something. An island? It couldn't be _the_ island. They'd sailed straight through the night. The island should have long left the horizon. It couldn't be Ninjago either. It hadn't been long enough for them to be _that_ close.

So what, then? Cole fumbled through the pockets of his coat, searching for his weathered spyglass. By the time his fingers were guiding the object to his eyes, everyone seemed to be watching him.

The open ocean jumped at him through the spyglass, and he ran it across the horizon, searching for the distant shape. When his eyes settled on it, he couldn't help but take a step back. "Well that's bad news."

"What?' Jay came up to stand beside him, squinting against the sunlight. "Is that the island? Have we been going in circles?"

"No." Cole shook his head. "Worse, actually."

"Worse?"

Lloyd reached for his own spyglass, running up to the edge of the deck in order to get as close as possible. The shape in the ocean revealed itself to be. . . a ship. As he searched for the flag, Lloyd understood Cole's reaction. "It's Captain Soto!"

"And who is _that_?" Jay asked, reaching for Cole's spyglass a second too late. The former pirate had already moved to shove it back within his pockets.

"Yeah," Kai said. "I don't think I've heard of him. In fact, I don't really think I've heard of anyone other than Garmadon."

"Soto." Wu shook his head, frowning at the distant shape. "We should try to outrun him. There is much distance between us and, if we can avoid conflict, that would be for the better."

Zane nodded, acknowledging the order, and trying to keep the sails full of wind. But although he could control the ship's position, having power over the elements was another thing altogether. And the pirate ship was lighter, moving at a steady speed over the ocean. It would take a miracle to avoid it.

"Seriously," Jay looked away from Cole and towards Lloyd, knowing that the child was the most likely to answer his questions. "Who _is_ Soto?"

"He used to be a fairly popular pirate about 10 years ago. My dad took everyone's attention away from him though. Still someone we wouldn't want to run across. I mean, there's like, 7 of us. And he most likely has a full crew of pirates. We wouldn't really stand a chance." Lloyd handed his own spyglass to Jay, who quickly pressed it against his eye. "We _don't_ stand a chance. There's no way we'll actually be able to move faster than them."

"So, we fight then?" Kai said. "There are weapons in this ship. We could do it."

Cole shook his head. "I don't think that's a good idea. You've only been in, what, one fight? Jay has probably never even picked up a sword in his life. And do you really want the kid to try and hold his ground?"

"The _kid_ knows how to fight, thank you." Lloyd crossed his arms. "I've had fencing classes since-"

"That's not the point," Cole interrupted. "The point is, it wouldn't be smart to try and fight Soto."

"He is right." Wu nodded.

"So what, we surrender?" Nya scoffed. "That doesn't sound like a great outcome either. Who's to say he won't just get rid of us?"

"Maybe we can use the cannons to sink his ship before he gets close enough to board." Kai pointed out. "We have a pirate, Ninjago's Admiral, and one of his soldiers. Who's to say we can't take him down?"

"Logic can," Cole said. "We may have more cannons on this ship than they do, but once again, they're an actual _crew_. Your head would spin if you knew how fast a cannon can be loaded and fired if you have the right people working together. They'd sink our ship before we could do much."

Kai pushed the anger flourishing in his chest down. Getting into a heated argument would be pointless, more so when the dumb pirate obviously knew far more than Kai did about everything. Which made sense, of course. While Kai had spent most of his life grounded within the island, Cole had spent the last years of his life sailing alongside the most infamous pirate captain of the sea.

The worst of it all, was that Cole didn't seem to be smug at all. He was simply stating the facts with such _calm_. It made Kai want to swing a punch towards his face more than anything else. See him be calm about _that_.

But Kai held his fists down. "So we just wait then, huh?"

"Nothing to do but hope for the best, I guess," Jay muttered.

* * *

With the woman's soul in his possession, Nadakhan was able to make one more wish for the day.

And he already had one in mind, of course.

He needed to get his crew back. And one by one, he would recover everyone.

Well. _Almost_ everyone. There was one person he'd never be able to get back, no matter how much he desired to do so. After all, regardless of his freedom, he still had to abide by his own rules.

And there was no wishing the dead back to life.

Nadakhan willed his mind to focus, thinking of his missing crew members. Who to bring back first? That was an easy question.

As his mind wrapped around his wish, the world before Nadakhan twisted momentarily, reality rippling before his eyes. Once everything returned to normal, a man stood before him, a look of both confusion and amazement glowing in his eyes.

The man blinked, taking in his surroundings, his eyes widening with surprise as they settled on Nadakhan. "Captain! You. . . You're free! And. . . You've brought me back."

"Well of course," Nadakhan smiled. "A captain is nothing without his crew. And you, Flintlock, are my most trusted companion. I've eagerly awaited the moment where we would finally be reunited."

"Yes. . ." Flintlock nodded slowly. "Mind if I ask . . . Where exactly are we, Captain?"

"Ninjago. A rather powerful island, I must say. And it's all ours. But of course, this is only the beginning. We'll sail until every bit of land in this world belongs to us. People will know what it's like to have their lovely freedom ripped away from their unsuspecting hands."

"That's a big plan, don't you think, Captain?"

"Indeed." Nadakhan said. "But with the power of wishes, there won't be much that will be able to stand in our way."

* * *

Once again, Kai found himself overwhelmed by a feeling of helplessness.

It was becoming a trend, having nothing to do but wait to see what cards life would deal him. And he despised it. Doing nothing _had_ to be the worst feeling in the world.

But the others were right. Initiating a battle would only wind up in everyone getting killed, either by sinking along with the ship, or getting up close and personal with the sharp metal of a pirate sword.

Not that getting captured seemed to be _that_ much better. Sure, it left the option of escaping _eventually_ , but there was no knowing when that 'eventually' would come. And the longer Nadakhan was free, the worse things would get. So sitting around searching for escape opportunities would be beyond agonizing.

For a moment, Kai even allowed himself to believe that _maybe_ they would get away. The wind had begun to blow with more vigor, and their ship was gliding forward at a pleasant speed. Problem was, the wind didn't only aid _them_ but the pirate ship as well.

And now, all hope was truly lost.

Kai watched as the so called Captain Soto swung from his ship to theirs, landing with a thundering _thud!_ That caused the wood beneath him to rattle. He watched the members of his crew follow close behind with ease, watching the familiar and flawless way they carried their weapons. Cole and Wu had been right. They wouldn't have stood a chance.

"Well now, no fight? Nothing? You have heard of Captain Soto then?" The pirate smiled, and Kai grimaced. Some of his teeth were missing, and the ones that _were_ still attached were an uncomfortable shade of yellow. "Good. It seems most people have chosen to forget, fearing instead that insufferable Garmadon instead."

Soto's eyes went over the people before him, stopping when they reached Cole's gazed. The man's smile turned into a smirk, and he move towards Cole, his wooden peg leg clashing rhythmically against the deck as he moved.

"Oh, now I see why you chose not to fight. Your little friend here must have let you know it was not such a good idea." Soto stopped before Cole. "So? Did Garmadon find the lamp? I suppose he did, didn't he? Bit off a little more than he could chew, didn't he?"

Cole remained quiet, his hands tightening into fists. The reaction was more than enough to give Soto an answer.

"Oh yes, I am familiar with the Djinn's tricks." Soto laughed. "We've run into each other in the past. I knew Garmadon wouldn't be able to resist the idea of having whatever he wished for. And now, now the seas are _mine_ again."

"We'll get him back! And then he'll show you." Lloyd hissed.

"Lloyd, don't." Kai placed his hand on Lloyd's shoulder, making sure the kid didn't try anything dumb.

Captain Soto turned towards Lloyd, frowning at his features. The captain moved closer, and Kai tightened his grip on Lloyd's shoulder. "You, you look familiar."

"I'm Garmadon's son," Lloyd said, beaming with pride. "And I'm going to get him back."

"The souls that the Djinn takes are not to be returned." Soto shook his head. "No one has ever done it. What makes you think _you_ will find a way? You're a child."

Lloyd shrugged, and Soto studied him. The man's eyes locked onto a piece of dull metal peeking out from the kid's pockets. Soto reached, pulling out the teapot. Kai held Lloyd down, preventing him from moving to retrieve it.

"Oh. . . So your father's soul finally set the Djinn free? That's not good. That creature still owes me a wish. But of course. . . One can always seal him back inside." Soto tossed the teapot to one of his men. "Make sure you put that in a safe place. We will need it."

The man nodded, moving back to the pirate ship.

"Now. . . what to do, what to do?" Soto searched everyone's faces. "Hmm. . . I could probably make a fair amount of money off of you, yes. There are more than enough pirates who would pay to have a couple of extra hands at their service."

Soto now looked directly at Wu. "And I'm sure there are _plenty_ of people who would give a considerable amount of gold to see you dead. You've made many enemies, Wu."

The Admiral shrugged. "I have, yes, but most of them are behind bars, are they not?"

"Most," Soto nodded. "But not all."

The pirate Captain turned to face his ship, and began to limp forward, away from his new prisoners. His men stood at attention, ready for Soto's orders, with their swords drawn in order to discourage any one from escaping.

"Lock them up. . . And set sail for the dark island!"


	16. All The Wrong Choices

Chapter 16 - All the Wrong Choices

"I can't believe we're prisoners on a ship _again_." Kai pressed his forehead against the bars, trying his best to see the area around them. The task was pointless. The only light came from the small openings in the wood from the floor above them, which was scarcely enough to see anything other than lumpy shadows.

"Speak for yourself. This is only my _first_ time being a prisoner," Lloyd said, knowing this fact didn't quite matter, but wanting the others to know it regardless.

"This is even worse than before though." Jay whined, tugging at the cold metal shackle around his right ankle. A rusted chain ran from it to Cole, and from Cole to Nya, and so on. "Chains, _and_ awful lighting? Makes Garmadon's ship seem like a luxury inn."

"Plus, at least we knew where we were going back then." Nya sighed. "I've never heard of a so called 'Island of Darkness'. Don't care for the name much, if I'm honest."

"Bet Wu would know," Kai said. "Too bad Soto didn't throw him in here with us. He could have come up with a plan."

"Oh yeah. Just like he came up with a plan to get us off the island." Jay rolled his eyes. "Honestly, maybe the Admiral isn't as great as we made him out to be. What has he even done so far?"

"More than _you'll_ ever do, that's for sure." Kai spat.

"What is your problem?" Jay stood up in an awkward manner, trying not to trip over the tangled chain. "You don't need to try and attack everyone _all_ the time you know."

In response to Jay's movement, Kai stood too, pulling Lloyd forward as he did so. "I'm not attacking anyone. Just pointing out the facts."

"Oh yeah, sure. Then why the attitude?"

"If you haven't noticed, we're chained together in the bottom of a pirate ship, sailing to who knows where, where we'll be sold off as merchandise. I think that's more than enough reason to have an attitude!"

"If _you_ haven't noticed, we're all in this mess _together_. So quit yelling at me and saying rude stuff all the time!"

Kai scowled, getting ready to shout back Nya tugged at the chain connected to his ankle before he could speak, causing him to slide down against the ground with a dull _thud!_ She shook her head. "Cool it, Kai."

With a sigh, Kai nodded, slowly pushing himself up back into a sitting position. "Look, I'm sorry. This is just. . . this."

"I'm scared out of my mind, trust me," Jay said, sitting back down. "And yeah, yeah, maybe I should trust Wu more but-"

"No, you're right, we shouldn't. He _hasn't_ done much of anything. _We_ have. Together. Like you said. If we're going to get out of this, we can't keep relying on the Admiral to have an answer. We need to come up with one of our own."

"Now you're talking sense." Cole nodded, moving slightly forward, in order to be closer to the others. "I've been thinking about a few things myself. The Island of Darkness is big enough for us to find a place to hide. All we have to do is find the best place to slip away."

Nya turned towards the former pirate, one of her eyebrows raised in question. "You _know_ the place?"

"I'm sure you've noticed, but I _was_ a pirate. I've probably been almost everywhere."

"You could have said something!"

"To be fair, it's not like anyone bothered to ask."

"How many places _have_ you been to?" Jay asked, eyes wide.

"Yeah! How many?" Lloyd nodded excitedly, his expression a mirror of Jay's.

"Well," Cole thought back, his mind flashing through all the ports he'd set foot on. "Maybe about-"

"We can all listen to Cole's stories once we're all out of here," Kai cut in, his eyes locking onto Cole's. There was still a lack of trust in his gaze, but Kai had to admit, Cole _had_ been nothing more than helpful ever since he'd turned his back on Garmadon's crazy scheme. "But for now, we should come up with a plan. What do you know about the island? When do you think would be the best time for us to attempt a breakout?"

"Like I said before, the island is pretty huge," Cole said. "There's a small town around the port, but other than that, there's miles and miles of jungle all around. And the town itself is _packed_ with pirates, so you can imagine it isn't exactly the most orderly place around. Soto has a house at the edge of the town, and they'll most likely move us there once we arrive. Which means we'll go straight through the town."

"If we can slip away when we're in the town, we're good to go. In the confusion, even if they did try to attack us before we got away, there isn't much of a chance they would actually hit _us_. Not with all those other random people always moving to and fro."

Kai nodded slowly. It made sense. And once they were free, he could always have Cole guide him to Soto's house. Then Kai could find a way to rescue the Admiral. "It could work."

Zane cleared his throat. It was a subtle and polite sound, which captured everyone's attention. Once all of their eyes were on Zane, the man proceeded to speak. "I do agree that slipping away while in the middle of the town is quite a clever plan, I can not see how we would be able to pull it off, as we are all bound to one another."

"We'd have to be perfectly in sync to pull it off." Nya added. "And I'm sure that's not something we could figure out in the seconds we'd have to escape."

"Wouldn't it still be worth a shot, maybe?" Jay said, sheepishly

"We could be punished for an attempt at escaping," Zane replied. "So maybe, it would be better to wait until success is nearly guaranteed?"

Cole nodded. "No, Zane's right. If we tried to escape and they reeled us back in. . . They could do anything. I wouldn't want to anger Soto unnecessarily. Ultimately, I guess it _would_ be better to wait until we're in Soto's home. His crew would most likely not want to stand around guarding a couple of prisoners, not when there are so many more enticing things to do around town."

"Back to waiting it is then," Kai sighed. "We should still try to come up with a rough plan. Cole, you should tell us _everything_ you can about the island. The more we bounce ideas around, the more chance we'll be able to come up with something successful."

With a nod, Cole began to speak.

* * *

"I bet you had forgotten all about me, didn't you, Wu? Hmm, yes. Everyone forgot about Soto, once Garmadon decided to take a crack at piracy. But that will change. I will make sure of that."

Soto sat in a wooden chair, behind a simple, nearly empty desk. In fact, everything in his cabin was simple. Minimal. Only the necessary tools to chart a course and sleep. Wu found this slightly fascinating. In his experience, pirate captains seemed to enjoy cloaking themselves and their surroundings in a unnecessarily extravagant manner. But Soto was different.

"Oh, I remember you alright," Wu replied. "I just imagined you'd grown tired of piracy. Perhaps turned towards a more honest life? You always were too clever for this kind of life, Soto."

"Hmm." Soto shrugged, unamused. "You are clever with words, I think. Aye. But no. I will not be swayed, Wu. Not when things are going so well."

"Garmadon is finally gone. And he has left me this little present." Soto stroked the rusted metal of the teapot, his eyes glowing. But they weren't filled with greed, or desire, Wu noticed. There was something different in Soto's eyes. But it was gone just as quick as it had come, before Wu could discern what it was. "And you wander straight into my arms! It has been some years, Wu. But I will never forget the time I spent in prison thanks to you."

"I'm always glad to be remembered," Wu said, his voice as calm as ever.

"Are you now?" Soto laughed softly. "Well let me say, you will not be very glad of it once we arrive at the island! Many enemies there. Many waiting to have their revenge."

"Oh, I'm sure. And there are still no regrets here. I was simply doing what was right." Wu looked at the teapot, then back towards Soto's eyes. "But we shouldn't waste time arguing about morals. I think a better story would be to hear how exactly you came to know about the teapot."

"Yes! It is a very interesting tale." Soto nodded, setting the lamp upon the table. "And why not share? You have been so kind. Bringing the teapot. Bringing the poison I need to attack the Djinn. Yes, and you will be dead soon, I will tell you. As a last request from a fallen enemy."

Wu remained silent. He was curious. And perhaps, if Soto kept talking, Wu would be able to find something to use against the pirate. Words, in Wu's experience, were far more valuable than anything. The right words might be able to turn an enemy into a friend. Or, if not a friend, at least an ally.

"It was. . . quite a long time ago." Soto's accented voice began. He leaned back against his chair, his eyes slowly gaining a faraway look.

"One of my trips, my first quest in search of the dark island, it did not go quite as planned. We sailed for days, me and my crew. Not the crew you've seen, no. This crew was different. They were all imbeciles, alright, but they ran the ship better than anyone ever could. Aye, no one will ever be able to sail the seas as efficiently as they. But, of course, the sea, she is unforgiving. As cruel as she is beautiful. And even the best of sailors encounter their end amongst these temperamental waters."

"A storm hit us with force. It was far bigger than anything I had ever encountered before. The masts snapped like twigs. The sails ripped to shreds in a matter of seconds. And the sea rose to meet us."

"It the moments of panic, being flown around like a ragged doll, I wished for nothing more than to remain alive. And there! There was my mistake." Soto twirled the teapot in his hands. "You see, I had run across this teapot by then. I had heard the legend. And who does not want to receive everything the wish for?"

"I did not know what to think of it all. It sounded. . . too good. But people were willing to pay for such a treasure, so I searched for it. I had no plans to use it, you see. Only to sell! Money, power, that is all Captain Soto needed. I had no need to mess about with wishes. But that of course, was before the storm. Before fear for my life made me stupid."

"Watching the sea rise, watching my men being thrown about by the wind, I ran to my cabin, searching for the teapot, praying for a wish."

"I wished to stay alive. The storm continued to rage. I lost track of the teapot then. I lost track of everything. There was nothing but wind, lightning, water. But stay alive I did! Just like I had wished. Just as I had asked for."

Soto remained silent after that, and eventually, Wu decided to speak up. "That does not. . . Does not seem like such a bad wish. It doesn't really explain your intense desire for revenge."

"Ah, but did you not pay attention Wu? I told you. This tale takes place quite some time ago. So long ago that you might not believe me, not if you hadn't already seen what the Djinn can do."

Wu waited. Soto slammed the teapot against the table.

" _200 years!_ 200 years ago, I made a wish. A wish to stay alive. And it seems I have done so! I have stayed alive. In fact, it seems like I might continue to stay alive. Unless I find this Djinn, force him to fix it all."

"I will go to him. I will wish I had never found the teapot. Wish to die in honor, alongside my men."

Wu's eyebrows moved together in a frown. 200 years was a very, very long time. Soto's wish could change everything. Perhaps Garmadon would never stumble onto the teapot then. But then again, something worse could arise instead. Messing with time was dangerous. Soto could not be allowed to make his wish.

But the man was beyond reasoning. Wu's words would fall on deaf ears. Soto did not care about the present. And nothing Wu said would be able to change that.

"So I thank you again, Wu. For bringing me everything I need. I do hope you enjoy your brief stay in the island."

* * *

As another day began, Nadakhan felt his powers return to his body.

Two wishes. That would allow him to recover two more members of his crew.

Two.

The progress was slow. Far, far too slow. Nadakhan was not happy. He was free, but he was still chained down by the rules of his own power. It simply wasn't enough. He needed more. More souls. More wishes.

He thought back to the island where Garmadon had stranded some people, before heading back to Ninjago. They would be enough. There were. . . Five? Six? That would be enough wishes. That would return to him the same feeling of ecstasy that had spread through him the moment the teapot had released its bonds.

In a second, he was gone. In another, he was on the island.

But the island was deserted. Somehow, the group of misfits had found a way off of the island. With a shake of his head, Nadakhan thought of returning to Ninjago. After all, there were more than enough people on that island, were there not? Although they would be cautious of him and his words, he didn't doubt his ability to twist their words.

Then he thought of the kid.

The kid, whose mother had known more than a thing or two about Nadakhan's strengths and weaknesses. The kid, who might have the exact knowledge it would take to bring Nadakhan's newfound freedom.

And there was that old man as well, was there not? The previous guardian of Ninjago, and its people. Another possible threat. Nadakhan couldn't leave anything to chance. He had to find them, had to get rid of them, had to be safe.

Finding them would be easy. He had his wishes still. He could put them to good use.

* * *

Wu was alone.

He did not know where the others were. When they had arrived at the island, Soto himself had guided him off the ship, and towards his home. Once inside, Soto had shoved Wu into a dark cell, with an unpleasant smell lingering in its atmosphere.

Despite his attempt at being calm, Wu felt fearful. He worried for the others, worried for Lloyd. Things had spiraled out of his control, and he had no plans. No clever way out. Nothing.

And through all this, he worried for Misako.

Although he had confidence that she was more than capable of taking care of herself, Wu knew that the Djinn was clever, and he knew that it would feed off of her worries and heartbreak, striking where she was most vulnerable. Strike her when she was alone, with no one to keep her mind from slipping.

Alone. . . just as he was.

Wu shook his head. No. He couldn't be fearful. He had to remain calm. The others would be counting on him. He owed it to Ray to keep Kai and Nya safe. Owed it to Garmadon to keep Lloyd away from harm.

"There you are. You took quite a trip. It was difficult to find you. Or, well, I suppose it would have been, had I not been able to wish myself right before you."

Wu flinched. _Not now._ "Why the sudden need to find me?"

"Oh, I have my reasons." Nadakhan moved into Wu's field of vision. For a moment, neither of them spoke. "But Wu, my old friend, why would I not want to find you? I still owe you a couple of wishes!"

"I appreciate the offer, but I will have to decline."

"Really now? There is nothing you want? I believe there is, Wu. There is always something." Wu looked down, forcing his mind to empty, to focus on nothing. He would not wish. He had learned his lesson years before. "What about your friends? The kid whose family you so shamelessly broke apart? You do not care about their well-being?"

"I believe they will be able to take care of themselves."

"Maybe so." Nadakhan shrugged. "Or maybe they are not okay? Maybe they are in distress, and you sit here, doing nothing."

Wu remained silent.

"But let us imagine, let us pretend, that they are alright. That still leaves someone, does it not? Someone you love."

"Misako is alright." Wu stated firmly. "She knows you well, Nadakhan. She would not fall for your petty tricks."

"Your faith in her is admirable! But it is not very well-founded. Do you really think she is alright? Would you not like to know for sure?"

"I would. If I was sure you were going to show me the truth. But I cannot trust you, can I?"

"And why not? If you wish for the truth. . . I am bound to show it to you."

It was tempting. More than tempting. The truth. . . Yes. Wu would force Nadakhan to show him the truth. And he would know Misako was alright. Because how could she not be? She was most likely in Ninjago, working hard to find a way to bring Nadakhan and his tyranny to an end.

If Wu could only just. . . _see_ her. . . He would have the strength to find a way out, find a way back to her. Yes. "I wish to see the truth about where Misako is."

Nadakhan smiled, as usual. "Your wish, is yours to keep."

A fog enveloped Wu's body and mind. When it receded, Wu realized he was back in his mansion, within the library. But he was not himself. He could feel Misako's thoughts, as if they were his own.

He saw Lloyd, saw his own hand reach out towards him. But Lloyd's image was already fading.

" _No, no bring him back, I . . ._ "

Misako's voice. Wu could feel her words. Could feel her worry.

Then he saw an image of his own body, lifeless. A lie. But one Misako didn't hesitate to believe.

 _Misako felt a strong ache growing from her heart, as it shattered into more fragments than she could collect. Wu was dead. Her son was mostly likely heading towards the same grim fate. And all, all because of her._

Wu felt Misako's mind click towards a decision. Wu tried to protest, tried to keep Misako from speaking the words that were coming. But of course, he could not. The truth unfolded before him, unyielding to his pleas.

 _Everything inside her hurt. She couldn't think, not with her mind plagued with guilt. Misako was alone. Her fickle heart had caused the end of both of the men she'd loved. And her selfish thoughts and self-pitying attitude had made her abandon her son in the moments when he most needed her._

 _Misako looked at Nadakhan, knowing her next decision was going to be her most selfish of all._

 _But what could she do? What could she do, other than make things worse? There was no point in fighting. She could care less if the Djinn grew stronger from her decision. It didn't matter. She was guilty of too much. She couldn't bear it._

 _Well then. One more wish. Her last._

" _I wish. . . I wish for it all to go away!"_

"No!"

Wu was back within his own body, but the feelings of helplessness that had pounded through Misako's mind remained. He felt hopeless. Lost. Useless. Misako had thought she had made everything worse. But no. No it hadn't been her fault.

It had been _his_.

He had been the one to break everything, with his one, utterly selfish wish. If it hadn't been for that, Garmadon would have remained in Ninjago. He would have been happy. Everyone would have been happy. Everyone was better off without him.

Everyone _would_ be better off without him.

Wu stared at Nadakhan's eyes, refusing to look away. The Djinn returned his gaze, waiting. With a brief nod, Wu made his decision.

"I wish for it all to go away."


	17. Broken Oath

Chapter 17-Broken Oath

Soto's home wasn't any better than his ship had been.

Their trip through town had lacked any and all opportunities for escape, as the group of friends had found it difficult enough to walk forward with their feet chained to one another, which meant that running was definitely out of the question.

But this time, instead of feeling angered, discouraged, or frightened, they each paid as much attention to their surroundings as they could. By taking everything in, and combining it with Cole's information about the island, they would surely be able to come up with a strategy to escape.

They had each other, after all. Different personalities, different perspectives, all added together to make them far stronger than they would have been on their own.

"Soto's guards are way worse that my uncle's were." Lloyd was the first to speak up, looking around him at his new band of friends. "They're not very focused, and there really didn't seem to be a pattern to them. We should be able to sneak out, easy. Just have to wait for the right opportunity."

"The lock on this thing isn't really good either," Jay rattled the door, then bent down to peek into the keyhole. "It should be no problem to force it open, if I can find something to use. . . Then like Lloyd said, we'll just wait for the right time."

Cole gave a small nod. "Soto headed off with Wu somewhere else, but someone must have seen them. I know people here, and they aren't exactly tight lipped with information if we can give them something they want. Once we're out, we'll find out where he is and get him back."

"Let's not forget to get the poison and the teapot back." Nya pointed out. "Soto will most likely have them on him. . . So we'll have to fight for it. If we can get him alone, we should be able to take him down. I don't doubt that his skills with the sword are good, but it didn't look very well taken care of. If we could find a good weapon. . ."

"We did pass by _a_ blacksmith shop. Although the quality of the weapons there might still be questionable. But it might be worth looking into. Or we could search for our own weapons, although it could be difficult, with Soto's crew roaming throughout." Zane said. " But having a weapon would also allow us to steal one of the ships. With the chaos throughout the island, it would be easy to do. No one really seems to have each other's back here."

"This. . . really sounds like it could work." Kai stated, looking around at everyone. "Feels weird to say it, but I think we . . . kind of make a pretty good team."

"Of course we do!" Jay smiled. "I mean, what's better than fighting deadly spiders and dealing with psychotic pirates to bond with somebody? We're friends for life now."

"Ha, I don't know about that." Kai replied, refraining his eyes from rolling. "But I think we might actually be able to. . . to take Ninjago back. From that Djinn."

"Yeah!" Lloyd smiled, pumping a fist in the air.

"Of course we can do it." Nya said. "We have to. We're the only ones who have a shot at this."

* * *

That voice. That face. Nadakhan's heart couldn't help but jolt.

After receiving the power of Wu's soul, he'd gone off to search for the others, knowing that they wouldn't be too far. Unfortunately, they were all grouped together. It would be impossible to break them down when they weren't alone.

He would come back later, when they attempted their escape. Before he could be spotted, Nadakhan began to focus his mind to take him back home.

But then, the girl had spoken.

And he'd looked closer.

It was impossible. It had to be. And yet, here she was, the love of his life, years after she had supposedly passed away.

Reincarnation, surely. After hundreds of years, Dilara's soul had returned. And although it could have returned any time, it had happened _now_ , now when Nadakhan was free once more. It was a sign. They were indeed meant to be together.

He had to get to her. If he could be with her alone. . . He could surely reawaken the memories of her past life. And then. . . then everything would be even better than what Nadakhan had allowed himself to imagine.

* * *

The shackles were almost loose now. In return, Jay's fingers were almost rubbed raw. But he kept twisting at the rusted screw, knowing that they had to find a way out one way or another.

"What are you doing?"

Jay jolted, his fingers moving away from the shackles. He looked up to find Cole's curious eyes going from Jay's face to Jay's hand. Jay shrugged. "Just. . . The screw on my shackle was already kind of loose, right? So I started messing with it. And I've almost got it. Then I can probably use the screw to get the door open, and hopefully to get everyone else out of the chains too."

"Your fingers aren't looking so good."

"No, they're fine." Jay scooted away as much as he could, which wasn't exactly much, and continued to mess with the screw. "I mean, we have to get out one way or another, don't we? I figured while we wait for-"

"Ha!"

Everyone turned to look at Lloyd, who stood, freed from the shackle that had been around his ankle. There was a confident and triumphant smile across his face. Jay slumped back and folded his arms. "Ah. Well. He got it then."

"How did you get out!?" Kai asked.

"Easy!" Lloyd shrugged. "These things weren't exactly made for kids. I just had to find the right way to wiggle out of it. And bamm! Free!"

Kai tugged the kid down gently. "Yeah, maybe don't _shout_ that."

"Oh. Right. Yeah." Lloyd sat back down. "Well. . . Now what can I do?"

"Find a way to get us out?" Nya suggested.

"Well I'm still _in_ here with you guys. I mean I guess I could try to squeeze out of the cell and find the keys?"

"No, shouldn't be out there alone." Kai shook his head.

"I've done plenty of things alone." Lloyd shrugged.

"Well Jay was almost out himself," Cole piped in. "He's been trying to unscrew the shackles, and he's pretty close. Once he manages it he could force the locks open. Then we could all go out together."

Jay felt himself blush as the attention was suddenly turned to him, but he managed to give a small nod. "Y-yeah. I can get us out."

"And once we're out? If we all go around together we're so going to get busted. Lots of people make lots of noise." Lloyd pointed out.

"Then we'll split up." Cole said. "Me and Jay can go try and find Soto, to get the poison and the teapot. I probably have more of a shot than taking Soto down than anyone else. Kai, Nya, you two can go and rescue Wu. Search the house first. If he isn't here, we'll meet up and ask around. Then Zane and Lloyd can go and try to secure a ship for us to sail away in. We can all meet up at the docks."

"That. . . would work." Kai said. His pride burned slightly at Cole's words about him being the better choice for fighting Soto, but he had to admit that the man was right. "Well, now just waiting on you Jay."

"Almost got it." Jay replied, pushing harder than before. Finally, with the others eyes burning against him, the screw popped off, and Jay removed the pesky shackles. He looked up with a triumphant smile, holding up the small metal object. "There!"

"Nice job." Cole said, and Jay gave a small nod.

"Now. . . let's see."

After a couple of minutes of anxiously picking at the aged locks while listening intently for footsteps, Jay manage to free everyone from the clunky chains. Soto's house was still silent, although there seemed to be plenty of noise coming from the small town.

"Should we just go for it now?" Kai said, shaking off the chain from his ankle. "We've done more than enough sitting around."

"We have absolutely no idea which direction to head to!" Jay protested, looking from his group of friends to the halls outside the cell. "There's. . . there's the plan, yes but. . . I don't know."

Cole placed a comforting hand upon Jay's shoulder. "I don't think we'll find anything out if we just stay here. The best thing to do is to head forward. Besides, we all have each other now, right?"

"Well we had each other before and we still-" Jay stopped, taking a slow breath to regain power over his rushing thoughts. "Okay. Okay. You're right. If we sit still, that'll just. . . Soto might come back. And then when it's obvious we're free, who knows what he might do. Yeah. We should get going."

"Then we will meet by the docks, yes?" Zane said, standing up.

Nya nodded. "Hopefully we'll be out of here and heading back to Ninjago before the night ends."

"We will," Kai said. "Like you said sis, we have to."

While Kai and Nya headed deeper within Soto's house in order to find more clues on Wu's whereabouts, the others headed outside, first, carefully moving forward so as to avoid attention. But after more than a couple of halls with nothing other than silence, they began to move forward with more confidence, even going so far as to take back the weapons that had been taken from them.

"It's empty," Lloyd finally dared to speak aloud. "There's no one here!"

"Maybe they're all out enjoying themselves in the town?" Jay shrugged. "I don't know. What _do_ pirates do on their free time?"

"Whatever they feel like doing." Cole responded. "But there should have at least been. . . _someone_ around. It doesn't seem like Soto to leave everything unguarded. He's a fairly clever pirate."

"Well, this could possibly be a trap." Zane suggested. "We could be being lured out and. . ."

"And what?" Cole said. "He already _had_ us. There was no need for a trap. No this. . . this has to be something else."

"Regardless of what's happening, right now, this is working in our favor." Jay shrugged, slowly pushing the door to Soto's home open. When he realized there was no one guarding the door, he swung it with more vigor. "So let's just get out of here and get on with it."

"Jay's right," Lloyd protested. "Whatever is happening is making things easier! So let's _go_!"

With a concerned look towards the town, Zane finally gave a small nod. "Well. . . We will meet at the docks."

"Yes, we will." Cole said, with much more confidence than he felt.

As Zane and Lloyd headed towards the beach, Cole and Jay sheepishly approached the town. Jay stuck to walking closely behind Cole, feeling far more calm than he would have been, had he been stuck with this little mission alone. Cole seemed confident in their plan, and the sturdiness of his attitude gave Jay something to hold on to, which was a nice change compared to his usual fumbling about.

When they reached the town, they realized that finding Soto was going to be far more difficult than they could have guessed. Despite darkness now hanging above them, the people of the island were as tightly packed in the streets as they had been before. It was hard to focus on anything, there were only blurs of movement and rattled waves of voices and sounds.

Jay reached forward, clutching a piece of Cole's coat, afraid to lose him in the thick crowd. "Is this island _always_ like this!?"

"Not. . . Not to _this_ extent." Cole shook his head, trying his best to look around. "Something is definitely going on."

"Look! Isn't that one of Soto's guys? Shouldn't we hide?" Jay shrank back, but Cole stepped forward, dragging Jay along despite his reluctance. "Cole! _What are you doing!?_ "

"Hey! You!" Cole shouted, putting as much confidence as he could into his voice. The pirate looked over at Cole, giving him a small, unconcerned frown. "What's going on?"

"Knew it was about time you all got out," The pirate cackled, shaking his head in glee. "That man, Soto, he acts like he's all that, but aye, a captain without a crew ain't worth a thing."

"Mutiny?" Jay piped in with a soft voice.

"The man's been crazy from the start! And now that the whole island knows it, he's gone into hiding. But we'll find him alright." The pirate laughed again, and Jay wondered if perhaps the man had had one too many drinks. "He brought a demon into the island with him. I saw him meself. Saw that demon poof from thin air. Soto has gone too far, he has. We'll get rid of him for good this time."

"This time?" Cole asked, but the pirate was already marching off into the crowd.

"Well. . . We should try to find Soto before anyone else does." Jay said.

"I don't think these people are going to be finding anything. They're more interested in wrecking everything." Cole shook his head, turning away from the town, and towards the jungle. "Soto is smart though. We probably won't find him in the town. I'll bet he went off to hide in the jungle."

"Oh great." Jay shivered. "The jungle. At night. Again. Well, at least it's not the _same_ jungle. No giant spiders here. At least I hope not. And the town is _packed_. You know, yeah, this isn't bad. I'd very much rather be in the jungle than stuck with all these people."

They moved towards the town's end, heading into the jungle. At first, Cole began to worry that they wouldn't be able to find Soto. The island _was_ huge. There were plenty of spaces for Soto to remain hidden forever, if he so wished.

But their search didn't last enough for Cole's worries to grow. Within a couple of minutes of traveling through the thick foliage, Soto found _them._

"I knew you would come looking for me," He stepped out from behind them, and Jay jolted, swiveling around in a rapid and awkward manner. "I still have something you want, after all. And you know. . . I might as well give it up, no? I've got. . . Well. . . Nothing. Not anymore. But you! Yes, you, you two, you could get revenge for me. You could take the teapot and the poison."

"Yes," Cole said, but he held a tight grip around the hilt of his sword. Soto's eyes looked crazed, dozens of emotions flying through them at once. Cole couldn't trust him. "So. . . Hand it over then."

"Of course," Soto reached into one of the pockets of his red coat, tossing the teapot forward. Jay fumbled, but caught it before it touched the ground. "And then. . . there's the poison."

"Powerful stuff." Soto continued, pulling the leather canteen out as well. "You know, put the poison into the Djinn, he freezes up. Put the poison into a regular person. . .They'll be dead within seconds."

"Those are. . . indeed, true facts." Cole reached forward. "Now, hand it over. Please."

"You know, I bet it was _you_ that brought the Djinn, here, to the island. It was because of _you_ that all of this is happening." Soto tossed the poison forward, and Cole caught it with his free hand. "So. . . I can't let you walk away. Not without taking one of you down!"

Soto unsheathed his sword, a smirk twisting his lips upward. "Want to hear about my brilliant idea? The tip of the sword, dipped into the poison. One small cut is all it'll take."

Cole pushed the canteen into Jay's hands, while also pushing him out of the way. He unsheathed his own sword. "Soto what's the point of this?"

"There is not a point!" Soto laughed, swinging his sword forward, without care, without a strategy. "Do you not understand? I have lost everything. Once again, just like 200 years ago! There is not a point to anything. So why not kill one of you?"

Cole fumbled to block the attacks, fearful of Soto's sword. Despite the skills he had acquired during battle, the man's attacks were crazed and random, nearly impossible to keep up with. Sweat began to lightly damp Cole's forehead, as he began to move back, pushed by Soto's persistence.

Jay stumbled out of the way, too stunned to do much more than watch. He wished for a weapon of his own. But empty handed, he could do nothing.

Soto continued to push, causing Cole to fall back, sword clattering out of his shaking hand. Soto smiled with triumph. "You are good at fighting, no doubt. But not good enough. How could you be? I have years, and years of experience that you will never obtain!"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Cole crawled back, his eyes searching for his sword. "But look, you really don't have to do this."

"No, I do not." Soto raised his sword. Jay looked around frantically for Cole's fallen weapon, dropping the teapot and poison the seconds he laid eyes upon it. They landed upon the grass, safely hidden in the thick darkness. "But I do not _have_ to spare you, either."

Soto swung his sword, at the exact moment Jay threw himself forward, aiming to block the attack. But Jay's footing was too awkward, and his movements, far too clumsy to stop Soto's strong strike.

Cole's sword slipped out of Jay's grip, and Soto's poisoned weapon cut a small wound across Jay's right hand. With a small bow and a laugh, Soto threw his sword down, and retreated towards the town, where the mutinous mob still awaited.

Cole stood as Jay fell back, stumbling into the former pirate's arms. "Jay?"

"Well that. . . didn't. . . go as. . . well as I planned." Jay tried to laugh, but he found that every bit of strength he'd had was now gone. The small wound pulsed stubbornly, sending waves of sharp pain throughout his body.

"No. . . No it didn't. . . " Cole searched for words, for anything, but there was nothing to do.

Nothing.

"Hmm. . . this _is_ quite the unfortunate situation."

That voice. Of course. There _was_ something. Something Cole had promised himself he wouldn't do.

"You know, with a wish, you could fix up your little friend."

Nadakhan moved into Cole's view, and Cole instinctively pulled Jay closer. "Look just. . . get out of here."

"Your friend looks like he doesn't have long," Nadakhan looked down at Jay's shivering figure with a smile. "Poison, I assume. Powerful, whatever it was."

Cole tried to keep calm, to think with a clear head. But it was difficult. What could he wish for? If he wished for the wound to heal, why, the Djinn could simply close the cut itself, leaving all the poison inside. Any wish he made, it would be turned around to create more harm.

Cole knew this. And yet. If he didn't do _something_. . .

"You might want to hurry," The Djinn shrugged.

Jay muttered something, but it was far too weak to reach Cole's ears.

Cole shook his head. _One_ wish. No more than that. If things didn't work out, wishing again would only make them worse. Whatever happened, he would accept the consequences. He only hoped that at least Jay would end up unharmed.

"I wish. . . I wish Soto had _not_ hurt Jay."


	18. One By One

Chapter 18 -One By One

Lloyd hurried along, trying to keep up with Zane's rapid pace. The soldier moved forward quickly, eager to reach the port and secure a ship. He could feel that something wasn't right. And the sooner he got Lloyd to safety, the better he would feel.

As they neared the beach, they came up to the small town, spotting a mob of its inhabitants. Some carried torches, others carried weapons, all wore the same look of fear and mistrust. One of them stood upon a crudely formed platform, his voice booming through the small town. Zane recognized him as one of Soto's men. Zane prepared to turn away and search for a less conspicuous route, but Lloyd was already moving forward, curiosity urging him to listen to the words the man was shouting.

"Lloyd, wait." Zane said, fumbling forward.

Lloyd shook his head. "It might be something important! Something's going on and you know it, Zane."

"Whatever it may be, it is not of our concern. All we should be worried about is getting off this island."

But Lloyd wasn't listening. He stepped up as close as he dared, with Zane close behind. Zane felt uncomfortable with Lloyd's decision, but he felt far more uncomfortable with the idea of grabbing the child to forcefully drag him away.

"I tell you, I _saw_ the demon that Soto has brought onto this island!" The man was shouting, with animated nods. "We all know he has never belonged. There's always been something wrong with the man! He isn't one of us!"

The crowd cheered in agreement. The man continued, fueled by the support and attention. "Four arms, the creature had. And the bottom half of its body? Nothing! Nothing but air, he floated there, and I could _feel_ the power he held."

Lloyd tugged on Zane's sleeve, his eyes wide. "It's the _Djinn_. He's here!"

With a worried looked, Zane looked back up at the man, fearing his next words.

"I was in charge of keeping tabs on one of Soto's prisoners. I saw it all. The demon came and snatched away the old man! There was nothing left! Both his soul and body. . . devoured!" The murmurs of the audience grew louder, fear flashing through everyone's expressions. "The demon came here because of Soto! We must find him, and set him adrift! As far away from our island as possible!"

Lloyd felt his heart dropped, and his legs wobbled slightly beneath him. His uncle? Gone. . ? It didn't seem real. It. . . couldn't be true. Lloyd would admit, he had never allowed his uncle to have the easiest relationship with him. Lloyd had always harbored negative feelings towards the man, blaming him for his father's absence. Regardless of this. . . Wu had always been _there_. He was part of Lloyd's world. And now. . .

Gone.

Like his father. Possibly even his mother. Lloyd felt a small, gentle tug on his arm. With shaking fingers, he took Zane's hand, allowing himself to be guided away from the town. Once they had moved back to a safer distance, Zane stopped, kneeling down in order to be at eye level with Lloyd.

The kid looked down, refusing to make eye contact. Zane placed a hand on his shoulder. "Will you be okay, Lloyd?"

Lloyd avoided Zane's eyes, choosing instead to look at the ground. He gave a small shrug. His throat felt tight, and he was afraid to speak. Zane waited in silence. "Yes, okay, yes."

"We're going to fix this, Lloyd. Don't forget." Zane stated. "We will get everyone back."

With a sigh, Lloyd nodded. He wanted to lash out and scream, wanted to ask how exactly he knew everything would be fixed, but he knew Zane probably felt as low as he did. Lloyd knew Wu meant a lot to the man. So Lloyd pushed away the shaky feelings as best as he could. "So. . . we need a ship then. . ."

"Yes," Zane nodded, standing once again. "It looks like everyone on the island is too busy hunting Soto to care much. Hopefully, this will be simple."

Lloyd nodded again, and they both set off towards the beach.

* * *

Cole saw time travel backwards before his eyes, in one fluid motion. It moved fast, making it nearly impossible to pick up on all the details. Then the world seemed to freeze, capturing the moment Jay jumped up to protect Cole from Soto's blow.

Time then glitched forward again, moving even faster than before.

Once everything stopped, Cole felt. . . off.

More specifically, he didn't feel _at all_. No wind. No ground beneath his feet. The hard thumping of his heart from adrenaline had vanished without a trace. He could see the world before him, but he felt disconnected, as if he didn't belong.

Cole looked down at his hands. He wasn't too surprised when he realized he could see right through them. It all made sense, of course. If Jay hadn't been harmed, then Cole had been the one to receive the blow.

And now, he was. . .

He shook the thought away. He couldn't think it.

"Well? Are you satisfied with your wish?"

Cole turned, facing the Djinn, who was far too close for comfort. He tried to push the creature back, but of course, his limbs slipped right through. It made Cole shudder.

"You could. . . choose for me to bring you back to life, yes?"

Yeah, right. Cole shook his head. "I saved my friend. I think I'm done with wishing, if you don't mind."

"Saved his life for now, yes. But look at him. He is so lost. He cannot last out here, not without your guidance. One wish, and you could be back. Do you truly want him to be alone?"

Cole looked at where Nadakhan pointed, surprised to see that Jay was indeed, no more than a couple of feet away from him. He held the teapot in one hand and the poison in the other. His face was a mess of dirt and tears, and his steps were slow and uncertain. Nadakhan was right. Jay needed him.

But he couldn't wish. He had no idea what the consequences of another wish would be, and he had no desire to find out. Cole would find his own way to get through to Jay. "I said I'm done with wishing."

He willed his body to move forward, trying to get use to the movements of his new body. Cole headed towards Jay, trying his best to catch the man's attention. "Jay! Jay I'm here!"

Jay continued to move forward, deaf to Cole's shouts. With a frown, Cole moved faster, placing himself in front of Jay instead. With a slow, unnecessary breath, Cole tried to focus. Tried to _feel_ his voice projecting outwards. "Jay, c'mon."

For a moment, Jay froze, blinking slowly and looking around him. Cole's hopes rose.

Then Jay shook his head, continuing his path towards the beach.

* * *

Nadakhan watched as the ghost fumbled to get the man's attention.

With a sigh of annoyance, he shrugged, knowing that sooner of later the ghost would break. When he realized that the world was now fully out of his grasp, he would beg Nadakhan for another wish.

And of course, Nadakhan would comply. He was, after all, a very generous Djinn.

It would be good to add another soul to his connection. But breaking others into giving up was no longer a priority. Once he had Dilara back, there would be absolutely no limit to what he would be able to accomplish. The wedding vows would make him all-powerful, granting him the ability of unlimited wishes.

This time around, he would not wait, he would not hesitate. Had he married Dilara sooner years before. . . Well, he wouldn't have been captured, wouldn't have been forced to act as a slave to other's desires for years.

Yes, this time, it would be different. This time, the world itself would be chained down, finally granting Nadakhan all he could ever want.

In a flash of movement, he searched throughout the island, aiming to find the girl.

* * *

"Maybe we should head to the beach. . ." Nya suggested, placing a hand upon her brother's shoulder. "He. . . We've searched everywhere, Kai. Wu isn't here."

"Then he must be somewhere else." Kai shook his head. "We'll ask around the island. Maybe Soto moved him somewhere, somewhere he could be better guarded. Don't you think?"

"I think something isn't right. I think we should head to the others. We'll figure out a plan together."

"I'm not going back without him, Nya."

Nya sighed, knowing her brother wouldn't budge. She had no right to complain about Kai's stubbornness though, as it was a quality they shared in equal amounts. "Okay, so we'll ask someone, fine. But if they refuse to help, we head back and ask Cole where we can find information."

"Fine." Kai gave a small nod. "That'll work. . ."

The two siblings headed out of Soto's home. In the town, the could see a glowing light, could smell smoke that only a considerable amount of torches could create. After sharing a worried glance, the two ran forward, heading towards the commotion.

A mob of people rampaged throughout the city smashing windows and ransacking their own homes and stores in what seemed to be a frantic search. Kai looked over at his sister. "Okay, you're right. Something is definitely wrong. Is this some sort of odd, self-destructive pirate tradition?"

Before Nya could answer, a voice behind them opted to shed some light in the situation. "Oh no. Not quite a tradition. That, is a manhunt."

"What?" Kai turned, his eyes widening as the shape in the shadows took the form of the pirate captain. "Soto!"

Kai's hand flew to his side, but there was no weapon for him to grasp. He cursed softly. He had been so focused on searching for Wu that he'd forgotten to try and retrieve his weapon. Soto smiled. "Ah, don't worry. I'm not armed. See?"

The man held up his hands, a mocking show of innocence. But he was telling the truth. There was no sword strapped to his side. Kai narrowed his eyes, staying back, untrusting. Nya stepped forward. "What do you mean manhunt? What do they want? They aren't searching for us, are they?"

"You? Oh no. You, and your friends, you are all safe. These people do not care about you. They're looking for someone else."

"Who?" Kai and Nya asked in unison.

Soto's smiled widened further, to an uncomfortable degree. "Me! They believe I brought a demon to the island. The Djinn. The Djinn showed up at the most inopportune time. One of my men. . . one of my former men spotted him, as he took the soul from the Admiral. I knew the old man had enemies, but this was one I did not predict."

"What?" Kai shook his head, a burning feeling spreading throughout his chest. "You're lying!"

"No, I am not. Why would I? What have I got to gain?"

"Wu wouldn't have wished for anything!" Kai shouted. "You're wrong. Tell us where he is."

"Kai. . ." Nya reached out towards her brother, but the man stepped back. "Maybe he's right. I mean, we searched the whole house. Wu wasn't there."

"You really believe him?" Kai scowled. "Fine then. Head to the beach. Meet up with the others. Give up! _I'm_ going to find Wu myself."

With a nonchalant shrug, Soto stepped aside as Kai ran past. He tried his best to remember the path to the house, ignoring Nya's stubborn footsteps behind him.

"Kai, wait!"

Kai continued to run. It couldn't be true. It _wasn't_. They needed the Admiral. He couldn't have. . . couldn't have just gone. Soto was wrong. Or he was lying. Lying to upset him. To confuse him. Kai couldn't trust him.

"Kai!"

Why didn't Nya understand? She was so ready to drop everything and run back to the ship. He thought that she, out of all people, would have stuck beside him. But she hadn't. Well fine. Kai could find Wu himself. He didn't-

" _Kai!_ "

Kai stumbled to a stop. That shout had been different. Nya had sounded. . . afraid.

He turned back instantly, running towards the sound of his sister. "Nya!?"

Kai spotted her, but only for a moment. She stood frozen, reaching towards him, with the Djinn's arms firmly keeping her from moving away. Kai willed his legs to move forward faster, but it was to no avail. In a blink, they were gone, leaving Kai to fall forward against the muddy ground.

Pushing himself up with shaking arms, Kai looked around slowly, hoping he'd imagined everything. Hoping that Nya would come running at him, hissing at his sudden run.

"Nya?"

Nothing but silence. Nya was gone.


	19. Ghost in a Storm

**Hey guys! Chapters have been a teeny bit shorter, as I've been half struggling to write, and half running around doing things. This week I actually traveled to New Jersey to see a play!**

 **Anyway, I'll try to write chapters with a bit more meat on them from now on, as the story begins to wrap up. Enjoy, and thank you for reading!**

* * *

Chapter 19-Ghost in a Storm

When Jay finally reached the ship, everyone was already waiting He hopped on, the sounds of the mob of villagers nothing more than a background hum. Jay felt numb, the poison and teapot hanging in a limp manner from his hands.

The atmosphere in the ship mirrored Jay's mood. He looked around, frowning at the obvious absence. "Where's. . . Where's Nya?"

Kai's fists clenched, and he didn't look up. "You took long enough. We could have gotten caught here. And we _are_ kind of in a hurry. Where's Nya you say? Well the _Djinn_ took her, while you were off wasting time in the island."

"Wasting time?" The sudden anger in Jay's eyes mirrored Kai's own. He tossed the Teapot and poison violently against the deck, causing them to bounce with a loud _bang!_. Lloyd jolted at the sound, looking up at his blue-eyed friend. "Getting _that_ was wasting time? Dealing with Soto was wasting time? I don't know if you've noticed, but Cole's gone too. Not that _you_ would care. And at least I got what I was supposed to. Where's Wu?"

Kai finally looked at Jay, realizing that he was, in fact, alone. "Wu's. . . Gone. The Djinn. . . well you know. That whole 'taking your soul' thing. Where's Cole?"

"Oh," Jay cleared his throat. "I'm. . . Sorry about Wu. And Cole well. . . We had a run in with Soto. And, long story short. . . Cole didn't make it."

"I'm sorry," Kai shook his head, standing up. "I didn't know. And I'm. . . pretty stressed about Nya. Sorry I snapped at you."

"Same to you." Jay gave a small smile, letting Kai know there were no hard feelings. "We'll. . . We'll fix it, won't we?"

"I sure hope so," Kai sighed before turning to look at Zane. "So, Can you get us back to Ninjago?"

Zane nodded. "I believe so."

"Then let's get going."

With Zane's guidance, the small group managed to set sail. The winds were strong, the cold breeze warning to a storm brewing ahead. Kai watched the distant clouds, hoping that they would reach Ninjago before the storm was unleashed.

Once the ship was sailing steadily, and Zane stopped directing Jay and Kai around the ship, they each went their separate ways, each consumed by their own conflicts. Jay traveled down to the rooms, wishing for nothing more than to be alone, in order to gather his thoughts after everything that had occurred in such a short span of time.

Kai knew he needed to be alone too, knew that he needed to breathe and think clearly, at least for a moment. But there was another pressing matter. Lloyd's well being worried him more than his own, so Kai set off in search of the young child.

He found Lloyd by the front of the ship, leaning forward in order to get a good luck at the ocean. Kai stepped up beside him, waiting for a minute before speaking up. "So how are you feeling?"

Lloyd jolted a little, as Kai pulled him out of his own thoughts, and into reality. Lloyd's blonde hair whipped wildly around him due to the wind, and he had to force it back in order to look at Kai. "Oh. . . I'm okay."

"You're sure?" Kai pressed, and Lloyd simply nodded, before turning back to the ocean. "Well. . . I'm glad to hear that then. _Someone_ around here has to be okay."

"What do you mean?" Lloyd asked, taking the bait to continue the conversation.

"Well. . . I know Zane relied on Wu's judgment a lot. I can see he's definitely shaken up by all this. Jay? I . . . don't know how he's doing, to be fair. He's probably feeling awful about Cole, and worried about Nya. And let me say _I_ am definitely not okay."

"You're not?"

"You better not tell the others but. . . No, most definitely not. I know Nya can take care of herself but. . . this is crazy, you know? If the Djinn was able to take down _Wu_. . . Well I'm kind of worried. So I'm glad you're doing okay. We'll need someone to keep us focused, after all."

Lloyd nodded again, but this time in a slow, thoughtful manner. A sense of pride spread warmth over his chest, coating over the worries and fears, at least for now. Lloyd turned away from the ocean, looking up at Kai, his green eyes as bright as ever. "We're going to fix this. You'll see!"

Kai smiled. "I believe you."

* * *

Cole watched as the storm brewed on the horizon. They weren't going to make it.

"C'mon Zane. You've been on the sea before, yes? You know there is no way we'll hit Ninjago before that storm hits _us_." Cole said, but Zane couldn't hear him. Cole sighed, wishing he could figure out a way to get a message to the others, but as a ghost, he had no effect on the world around him.

It was. . . far beyond frustrating. He watched as Kai headed off to speak to Lloyd, while Jay headed down, his head hung low, his usual, easy smile having completely vanished.

"I know you're feeling bad about Wu, Zane but. . . you need to focus." Cole reached his hand out, trying to grab onto the ship's wheel. Like dozens of attempts before, his transparent limp simply went through. With a defeated sigh, Cole moved back. "Well. . . Let's hope we get lucky then."

He headed down, following Jay's footsteps. Cole really needed to get through to _someone_. There had to be a way. One ran into plenty of ghost stories traveling throughout the sea, and they had to start from _somewhere_ didn't they?

So Cole tried. Over, and over again.

But despite his frantic voice, Jay couldn't hear. No matter how loud Cole was, or how focused he tried to be, there was an impenetrable wall in between him and his friend. He didn't know how long he spent trying, pulled out of his focus only when the ship lurched in a violent manner. The shift on the floorboards beneath him didn't affect him, but he watched as Jay was forcefully thrown from the bed.

"What in the world?" Jay stood slowly, rubbing his head. The ship shuddered again, and Jay stumbled backward.

"The storm," Cole said, quickly heading back out. The wind was blowing with more strength than ever, the sails quickly being torn apart. He looked over at Kai and Lloyd, watching as the young man tried to shelter the child. Cole then looked towards Zane, who was struggling greatly with the wheel, trying in vain to regain control of the ship.

Cole strode over, unaffected by the wind. He could see the island of Ninjago, not too far off from where they stood. If they stayed on course, at the very least the ship would wreck against the island, instead of sinking into the ocean. But with every second, the ship was blown further and further from its path, with Zane unable to do much on his own.

He had to do _something_. But what? He couldn't force his body to become solid. He couldn't touch or move things. He was shut out.

Unless. . .

It was a brief idea. A brief, crazy idea. But it was an idea nonetheless. Bits of rain began to pour, causing a strange sensation against his ghostly figure. Ignoring the feeling, he pushed forward, until finally stumbling into Jay as he struggled to emerge onto the deck.

"If this works. . . Sorry, Jay."

Cole closed his eyes, then stepped into Jay's clumsy body. An overpowering feeling of control was almost instant. Jay's mind was scrambled with worry and confusion, which molded perfectly against Cole's determined sense of purpose. In less than a blink of an eye, the ghost was in complete control of his friend.

Cole straightened up, heading towards Zane with a confident stride. Zane looked up briefly, then returned to struggling against the ship's wheel. Using Jay's arms, Cole grabbed hold of the wheel as well. "We need to steer towards Ninjago as much as we can. Better to shipwreck on the island than to sink."

Zane looked at Jay, then nodded slowly. "Together?"

"Together."

With the two of them fighting against the wind, the ship began to tilt, moving them back towards Ninjago. Zane gave a small smile. "We will make it!"

"Yes," Cole nodded, feeling rather odd at hearing Jay's voice emerging from his mouth. "We-"

He never finished. The winds finally succeeded in tearing down the main mast, blowing it backward and causing it to crash down upon the ship's wheel. Thinking quickly, Cole pushed Zane of out the way. When the mast hit the deck, both of them lost their balance, crumpling against the ground.

The ship was out of control now, and there was nothing to do except hold on, something that was becoming increasingly hard to do, as his mind had begun to disconnect from Jay's. He struggled to remain in control, feeling guilty at pushing his friend's consciousness away, but fearful of what might happen if he left Jay on his own.

"We're going to hit the island!" Kai shouted from the front of the ship, capturing Cole's attention. The man turned, watching as the island grew closer rapidly.

"Hold on to something!" Cole shouted.

As everyone fumbled to grab ahold of something stable enough to stay in place, the winds and rain continued to rage around them. Cole spotted tall, jagged rocks emerging from the ocean waters. The ship crashed head on against one, sending Jay's body flying over the side of the ship.

Jay's head was slammed hard against one of the rocks, the sudden flash of pain almost causing Cole to lose hold of his friend's body. The ocean flung him around, making it impossible to tell which way was up. Cole struggled to focus, and swim, but Jay's body needed oxygen desperately, and every bit of movement sent him closer and closer to losing consciousness.

Darkness began to pool around the edges of his eyes, and before Cole could do anything else, it enveloped him completely.

* * *

One second, Jay was struggling to emerge onto the deck. And the next, he was sitting up on a warm beach, surrounded by bits and pieces of the ship.

He looked around himself, trying to remember whatever had happened, but there was nothing in his mind that would aid him. There was simply a blank space in his memory, and this fact sent chills down his spine.

"Jay!"

He heard the voice and turned, half expecting to see Cole running towards him, with an explanation ready at hand. But despite the weird emptiness that seemed to take over his most recent memories, what had happened at the island was all too fresh. The realization of at all hit him anew, just as his eyes fell upon Kai's features.

"Kai," Jay said, his voice rough. He became aware of a stubborn pounding in his head. With gentle movements, Jay pushed himself onto his feet. "What . . . What happened?"

"We crashed into the island." Kai responded. "Good thing we're all okay. Lloyd and Zane are back the other way. I told them to stay together while I tried to find you."

"Island? We made it to Ninjago then?" Jay responded, looking around himself. "But where's the port? The town?"

"We must have landed on the opposite side of the island. Good thing too. Don't think that Djinn would treat us too kindly if we just crashed into the middle of the town." Kai began to walk back the way he had come, and Jay followed. "Zane said if it hadn't been for you helping him steer the ship, we would have been lost. So thanks for that. You really aren't as bad as I made you out to be."

"I did?"

"Yeah," Kai smiled, patting Jay's back. "You did."

Jay remained quiet, still struggling to remember anything. They reached Zane and Lloyd in the beach, both looking slightly disheveled, but otherwise unharmed. Lloyd smiled brightly at Jay, running through the sand to give the man a tight hug.

"You're okay!"

"Y-yeah." Jay responded, giving Lloyd a hug in return. He felt uncomfortable, with having absolutely no memory of anything, while the others seemed to remember the storm with perfect clarity. He rubbed the back of his head, wondering if the ache emanating from it was the cause of his lapse in memory. "Well. . . Um. . . So we're back in Ninjago then. What's. . . the plan?"

"Well. . . both fortunately and unfortunately we landed in the far side of the island." Zane said. "It'll be quite a walk from here to the town. I know speed is imperative, as the Djinn has Nya in his grasp, but I do not think we will make it very far without proper rest."

Kai held back his protests, opting for a small nod instead. "So. . . what, do you want us to take a nap on the beach? There's nothing but jungle for miles."

"Not true," Lloyd smiled, turning Kai around. He lifted his small hand, pointing towards a large shape in the distance. "There's a lighthouse!"


	20. To Capture a Djinn

Chapter 20-To Capture a Djinn

"Think there's anyone _in_ the lighthouse?" Jay said, as the building finally loomed over them. The paint was faded, and the concrete cracked. The wood of the door was rotten in certain places.

"Why would there be?" Kai said. "I mean, look at it. It's falling apart."

"I'd live in it." Lloyd piped in. "It looks cool. Do you think we'll be able to see the whole island if we climb it?"

The kid squinted his eyes against the sun as he looked towards the top of the lighthouse. It seemed to touch the sky, standing over everything in an awe-inspiring manner. Jay followed his gaze, spotting a fleeting shadow passing by the large, dirtied windows. His heart jolted at the sudden appearance, but when he looked again, the figure was gone.

"Did anyone see that?" He said, looking at his group of friends, who all gave a shrug.

"It would be very fortunate if someone _was_ residing inside. Perhaps they could provide us when proper food and rest."

"It's a shame we couldn't salvage anything." Kai said, looking back towards the ocean, where parts of the ship were still constantly washing up on shore. "I do agree we need rest and all. . . but I really can't wait to get Nya back."

"You and me both," Jay said. "But. . . we'll need a plan."

Kai nodded. "Yeah. . . But I really can't think of anything. I mean. . . Nadakhan's got full control of the island, right?"

"Yup." Lloyd nodded. "All of Wu's soldiers. And my dad's pirates. I wouldn't be surprised if the Djinn had the villagers as brain washed zombies ready to serve him too!"

"Ugh." Jay shivered. "Talking about this is just making my headache worse."

They stepped up beside the lighthouse. Lloyd jiggled the handle to the door. "It's locked."

"I doubt it." Kai said. "It's probably just stuck. Who knows when it was last opened?"

Kai tried the handle, finding that it was ,indeed, locked. He gave Lloyd an apologetic smile while the child replied with a smug look. "I'm sure we can force it open. Little help Zane?"

"Of course." Zane stepped forward.

The two stepped backwards in unison, ready to ram their shoulders against the weak wood. The moment they sprinted forward, however, the door swung open. Zane came to stop, but Kai was not so lucky. He stumbled forward, crashing against whoever had opened the way into the lighthouse.

With a confused mutter, Kai struggled to his feet, then looked down. Beneath him, an older man lay on the ground, his eyes shaken with surprise. Kai's eyes widened, and he quickly helped the man into a standing position. "Sorry! I'm so sorry. We thought, We thought this place was empty."

"You know, when I was young, we would knock on doors before deciding to break them open." The old man replied, but his voice was coated in laughter. "Oh don't worry about it too much. I'm sure this place does look fairly abandoned. But there's not much an old man can do on his-"

The man froze, his eyes locked onto Zane. The soldier cleared his throat, feeling uncomfortable at the sudden attention. The old man stepped forward, his eyes shinning with emotion. "It's. . I thought it might have been. . . but I wasn't. . . I couldn't have . . . I never thought _you_ would come!"

"Ex. . .Excuse me?" Zane found himself taking a small step backwards.

"Of course, you wouldn't remember." The man shook his head. "You weren't meant to after all! But I'm glad to see you found your place. A part of Wu's navy, no less! I couldn't be more proud. . . "

They all exchanged glances, not sure what to make of the frail man who stood before them. After seconds of what seemed to be the start of a long uncomfortable silence, Lloyd opted to speak up. "We were wondering if maybe we could rest here?"

"Oh?" The man tore his gaze away from Zane, and down to meet Lloyd.

"We're tired?" Lloyd said, then stretched his arms out, in order to emphasize the poor conditions his clothing was in. "We're dirty. We just wrecked or ship. Do you have a place for us to rest? Maybe some food."

"Oh! Of course. Yes. My apologies. Come on in! It's not much, but it _is_ something. And I definitely have some food. Nothing fancy, but it'll have to do." The old man nodded to himself. "But we haven't introduced ourselves, have we? You can call me Julien. What may I call you?"

"I'm Kai," Kai said, talking fast, eager to step inside and _rest._ He wasn't sure he could trust the man, but his mind was heavy with exhaustion "That's Jay. The kid is Lloyd, and that's-"

"Zane of course," Julien smiled, nodding, more to himself than the others. Once again, the group of friends exchanged a look, wondering if staying with this seemingly crazed stranger was a good idea after all.

With a shrug, Lloyd stepped forward, and into the lighthouse. His eyes widened as he took in the room around him. Unlike the broken, dirty appearance of the outside, the room itself looked . . . Lloyd shook his head. There was simply no word to describe it.

Strange machines and tools were spread throughout, things that Lloyd had never seen in his life, and whose purpose he could only guess at. When Jay stepped in, he felt the same awe as the child, dozens and dozens of questions bubbling up in his mind.

Kai and Zane both studied everything with suspicion, Kai untrusting of the man and the situation, and Zane protective of Lloyd and his companions.

"Oh, don't mind the mess." Julien shut the door, then went inside the room, carelessly pushing objects aside, in his path to another door. "My room is just upstairs. I'll cook something up for us and we can. . . well, we can swap stories, yes?"

Once again, Julien's eyes swept towards Zane.

"Sounds good." Jay nodded, fear and nerves having left him, replaced instead by a strong curiosity.

They proceeded up the stairs, until they reached the top. The room here was far more normal compared to the one below. One simple bed, a low table, and a couple of boxes filled with fruits and vegetables.

"So what _has_ brought you to this side of the island then?" The man walked around the room, picking up food as he went.

Lloyd, as usual was the first to respond, kneeling down before the table. "Shipwrecked, like I said. We were trying to get to town but there was a storm."

"Oh yes, I saw that, nasty looking thing it was." Julien shook his head. "The trip to the town isn't all that much, some hours at least, maybe a day if you run into difficulty."

"The sooner the better." Said Jay, as Julien plopped a bowl of food in front of him. It seemed to be a fruit salad, but there were bits of fish here and there. He eyed the food suspiciously, fearful of the taste. "We've got. . . something really important to do."

"Important?"

"We have to stop this power crazed Djinn before he takes over the whole world." Lloyd stated matter-o-factly. "And also he took one of our friends. So we need to rescue her too."

" _Lloyd_." Kai hissed, elbowing the child.

"What? I mean, what's the issue with him knowing? He lives here too. He'll find out sooner or later."

"Yeah but-" Kai shook his head. There was something about the man that just felt. . . off.

"Djinn?" Julien's eyes flashed with knowledge, and he joined the others around the table. "That's. . . Not good."

"You. . . You know about it, then?" Zane asked.

Julien nodded. "I. . . well, I've had my own encounter with it, years before. I attempted to hide it away but. . . I suppose everything is found at one point or another, isn't it?"

"So you've met the Djinn?" Jay asked. "And you're still here? As far as we've seen, anyone who even _talks_ to the guy. . . bamm! Soul taken."

"The trick is knowing when to stop." Julien stated. "The more you wish, the worse the consequences."

"Yeah we figured." Kai said. " But then. . . what did you wish for?"

* * *

Once again, Nya was trapped.

True, her new prison was far, far larger than the small cell within Garmadon's ship. It was definitely more comfortable than Soto's chains.

But it was a prison nonetheless.

Using a simple array of words, the Djinn had confined her to the walls of the Admiral's mansion. It was luxurious, and worth exploring, but there was something suffocating that came with the knowledge that she had nowhere to go.

Even knowing her efforts were useless, Nya headed towards the main door, willing her mind and body to focus in moving forward. She moved down the stairs swiftly, following the now familiar halls. The door, the exit, was within sight now. Freedom so close, yet impossibly far.

The closer she got, the heavier her body felt. Soon, her legs stopped moving altogether, and she remained rooted to the spot. The Djinn's wish held her.

"Do you not tire of this, Dilara?"

Nya rolled her eyes, turning away from the door, and towards the Djinn. The moment her mind released the thought of escaping, the power that held her body down was released. "I told you my name is _Nya._ And no, I don't."

"You should rest up. When was the last time you slept?"

When _had_ been the last time she'd slept? Sometime before they had been captured by Soto, but she couldn't quite pinpoint the moment. Although the exhaustion had begun to take a toll in her mind, she didn't feel comfortable enough to rest.

"Why do you insist on calling me that, anyway?" Nya said, moving past the Djinn and back up the stairs. The Djinn followed her closely.

"Because it is who you are. You and I were quite close in your past life."

"Past life?" Nya shook her head. "I'm not. . . I'm not whoever you're looking for."

"I grow impatient." Nadakhan muttered. "I hoped that you would remember me, if we spent enough time with one another. Your soul and mine belong together after all."

Nya didn't respond to this, choosing to simply scowl instead. Soul mates? Right. After all the strange occurrences that had suddenly blown into her life, Nya would believe almost anything. But the idea that she'd belonged to someone since the moment of her birth? The thought of being forever intertwined with another? Pass.

"But. . . There are other ways to bring your memories back, my Dilara."

Nya froze, adrenaline pumping her mind back into wakefulness. _Not another wish._

"You know this, don't you?"

Of course she knew. She knew that the Djinn held all the power. Knew that with only one wish, she could be forced to be someone she was not.

"Wish whatever you want." Nya hissed. "Someone will stop you sooner or later. And trust me, when you're back inside that rusted teapot, I will personally make sure you _never_ find a way out again."

"Ah, yes, there is an undeniable strength in your spirit." Nadakhan chuckled. "You may have different memories for now, Dilara, but you are the same as always."

Nya bit her lip, fearful of the wish to come, but determined to make her threat a reality the moment she got a chance.

"I wish for you to return to me, my dear _Dilara._ "

* * *

Cole wasn't sure how long he'd been gone.

He remembered waking up, still within Jay's body. Looking around himself, realizing that they'd shipwrecked against Ninjago. No sign of anyone else, as far as he could see. He'd released control over Jay's mind, returning to his ghostly appearance.

And instantly, he'd begun to fade.

It had been a terrifying experience. He hadn't known why it was happening. He hadn't known if he would return, or if this was it, the end of it all.

But it hadn't been. He was back now. Still on the beach. Still a ghost.

Except now, things felt different. Maybe it had all been because he'd used far too much of his strength in guiding Jay to safety. Maybe he only had a limited amount of time in which he could remain as a ghost. Maybe being dunked into the ocean had taken its toll.

Either way, Cole was _sinking_.

It was a slow process, but he was definitely moving lower an lower into the beach, as if the world had suddenly transformed into quick sand. Cole moved quickly, relieved to see that he could at least still stand. But if he remained still for too long, the sinking would resume.

"Guess I'll just. . . have to keep moving then." Cole said to himself. He walked forward, following sets of footprints upon the sand. Eventually, he spotted an old lighthouse. A soft light came from the top, and shadows moved about. Shadows that belonged to his friends, he hoped.

Cole reached the lighthouse, stepping right through the locked door. He ignored the strange objects all around, focused instead on reaching the others. Traveling up the stairs wound up being a challenge, as the material that made up each step was thin enough for his foot to slip right through. All of his focus was taken up by the simple action of putting one foot in front of the other, and by the time he reached the top, Cole was exhausted once more.

He could feel the strange heaviness that had enveloped him before, the one that had caused him to disappear. Cole tried to push the feeling out of his mind as best as he could, forcing his mind on the scene before him. Everyone seemed to be safe, in addition to someone Cole didn't recognize.

"I wished. . . Well, I've always been interested in creating. Always known that man was capable of _so_ much." The old man smiled, a far away look on his face. Cole noticed Jay nodding slowly, his eyes shinning, his ears absorbing every word. The ghost chuckled softly. "So I wished for a way to peek into other realities, so that I may see and learn about _everything_."

"Other realities?" Jay said. "What do you mean?"

"You know," The man shrugged. "Each choice we make creates a different reality. There are so many different versions of ourselves, our pasts, our futures."

Cole paced around, in order to keep himself from sinking back to the bottom of the lighthouse. He thought about the old man's words. Different realities. Yes. There was a reality in which Jay had wound up dead instead of him. He'd seen it all happen, then seen his wish reverse the consequence. But then, somewhere, there was a world in which he _hadn't_ chosen to save Jay.

"And then what? You just got rid of the teapot?" Kai shook his head. "As far as we've seen, the Djinn always finds a way to ruin what you want. How come he let you off easy?"

"Easy? I got everything I wanted yes. . . But there is no one to share it _with_. If I brought my finds to the people here . . . Ah, I'm more than positive they would all be seen as witchcraft. I'm stuck here, living on my own."

"Why tell us then?" Lloyd said through a mouth full of food.

"Well you've seen the teapot. I know you'll believe the power the Djinn's wishes can have. Besides, you told me the truth. I believe it was only fair."

"So you _don't_ know how to get rid of him?" Jay said.

"I'm afraid not. As I said, all I did was get rid of the teapot. But if he's found his way out. . ."

Silence spread throughout the room. Cole waited.

"I have _an_ idea." Jay finally spoke up. "But it's. . . Well, no guarantee that it would work. I'd have to be close enough to the Djinn to make a wish."

"But wishes themselves are the problem." Zane pointed out.

"Well yeah, wishes that are. . . personal? Or wishes that aren't quite thought out. But if we plan this right, we can make it work. We get close enough to wish that the Djinn will fight one of us. Just swords, no magic tricks. But! The sword. . . we cover it in the poison. That. . ." Jay shut his eyes and swallowed, and for the first time, Cole wondered about Jay's feelings concerning Cole's sacrifice. " That way, we don't need to _beat_ him, just. . . wound him. Then he'll be frozen up, or weakened, or whatever the poison is supposed to do."

"And once he's like that, we make our wishes!" Lloyd jumped up excitedly. "It'll work!"

"Yeah, if we can get past his hundreds of well trained soldiers." Kai said, although he couldn't help but begin to feel a bit hopeful. "But if we _do_ get to that point. . . What do we wish for?"

"Wish Garmadon hadn't found the teapot?" Jay suggested.

"No," Zane shook his head. "That would cause us to lose all memory of this situation, as it would never have occurred. And sooner or later, someone else will find it."

"Wish for all the souls he took back!" Lloyd shouted.

"So we get everyone back. . . but the wishes people made would still be in effect. Who knows what bizarre wishes the Djinn has granted." Kai pointed out. "We need to get rid of the wishes."

"So wish. . . for him to undo the wishes. _Not_ wish that people hadn't wished them in the first place, but wish that the things that people did wish, were taken away?" Jay made a face. "That sounds confusing. I mean, I get it. . . But. . . we'll have to word it right."

"No, no you can't." Cole shook his head, raising his voice. But of course, no one was able to hear him. They continued to speak, to form a plan, a plan that would ultimately have horrible consequences.

They could _not_ undo the wishes.

"You can't undo the wishes, Jay." Cole's voice cracked, and he felt the exhaustion return, stronger now. He watched as the lower half of his body began to disappear.

He tried to focus. He had to let them know. Had to tell Jay that a wish was the only thing keeping him alive.

But Cole had no more strength. He was fading. And he didn't know if he would return in time to stop them.

He didn't even know if he _could_ stop them.

"Jay I-"

In an instant, Cole vanished.


	21. Blind Steps

Chapter 21-Blind Steps

Jay remained awake for a long, long time.

His thoughts raced continuously, and despite the fatigue of his eyes and body, his mind could simply not relax. It was infuriating, to say the least.

Jay thought about the wish they should make, in order to bring everything back into order. As Zane had said, wishing that this hadn't happened at all would be a mistake. Memories were important things, and Jay was fairly sure he wanted to keep all of his intact. Kai's idea would work well. Removing the effect of the wishes would hopefully allow everything to return to its rightful place.

But there were some things that bugged Jay.

Kai and Nya's father. The murderous pirate, Soto. Their wishes had been made long ago. What effect would removing them have? He couldn't remember the wishes they had made word for word, but he knew for a fact that one of the wishes from Nya's father had been the reason their mother had wound up dying as well.

So if that wish was taken away. . . what would become of their mother?

The possibilities were endless, and none too pretty. She would have, of course, been buried. And who would want to suddenly be brought back to life, only to find themselves 6 feet underground? Jay shuddered.

The Djinn _could_ bring Kai and Nya's mother back in a nice, peaceful way, but Jay doubted this would be the case. In the brink of being defeated, Nadakhan would most likely try to cause as much damage as possible.

So they had to draw the line somewhere. Lift only certain wishes.

Only the wishes made after Garmadon had found the lamp?

Jay turned, forcing his eyes shut, tired of thinking in circles about the words they should use. Regardless of what they said, consequences were sure to follow. They would just have to work with whatever happened. Know when to stop, as Julien had suggested.

And yet. . . Part of Jay didn't _want_ to stop. He didn't want to give up the small chance of getting in a wish of his own, when the Djinn was finally held down. Because regardless of whatever they came up with, there was still something that wouldn't be fixed.

Cole.

Jay had started out this journey solely focused on Nya. His plans, his worries, his thoughts, everything had circled around the girl, and nothing more. But now, it was his newfound friend he couldn't stop thinking about. Cole had been a strong, steady presence, someone Jay could lean on, someone Jay could trust. He hadn't known the pirate for too long, but Jay would do _anything_ to get him back. Anything at all.

Beneath closed eyelids, Jay finally began to doze off, as impossible plans twirled around in his mind, subtle daydreams slipping out of his control as sleep set in.

* * *

As usual, Zane couldn't really sleep.

He watched his companions slip off one by one. Lloyd was the first, his body quickly relaxing, finding sleep the way only a child can. Kai tossed and turned, the thin blanket that had served as a makeshift bed crinkling beneath him. Eventually, however, he too drifted off into a dream of his own.

That only left Jay. Although he was still, Zane could tell he remained awake. Part of Zane was curious, wanting to ask what Jay was thinking about. But another part of him knew the man most likely wanted to be left alone, so Zane remained respectfully silent.

An hour passed, before Jay finally managed to find enough peace to sleep. Now Zane was alone with the night.

No, not quite. The man. Julien. He was still awake. Zane could hear him, rummaging about downstairs.

For a moment, Zane remained still, his eyes uselessly shut, even though he knew sleep itself wouldn't come. It never did. He could lay still and pretend, had done so for as long as he could remember. But he had never succeeded in getting swept up on a dream of his own. Yes, Zane had always been quite different, although he'd always done his best to fit into whatever the norm seemed to be around him.

In a flash decision, Zane stood, then began to head down the spiral stairs of the lighthouse.

When he reached the bottom, Julien looked up from his work. There were stains on both his hands and his clothes, and a light sweat coated his forehead. He offered Zane a warm smile. "Oh, hello Zane."

"Hello," Zane replied, feeling awkward. He didn't know how to begin the conversation, how to ask the questions that were burning in his mind.

"How can I help you?" Zane noticed Julien wasn't the least bit surprised that Zane was awake. Another piece of evidence to the fact that Julien knew a lot more about Zane than what he knew about himself.

"I. . ." Zane walked closer, then finally decided to simply ask every question outright. Being subtle had never been his strength. "What do you know about me? You seemed to know me, but I can not remember you at all."

Zane could see Julien deciding on his answer. His eyes shifted, as he weighted whatever options he had. "I don't know. . . how much you _really_ wish to know Zane. When I. . . For you, my only wish was for you to find a place in the world, make something of yourself. And you have! But. . . I don't know if the truth is the best thing for you to hear. Most of all in this moment, when everything hangs in a very delicate balance."

"I _must_ know the truth." Zane took another step forward, his eyes flashing with determination. "You know, then, where I came from? I have been unable to remember anything of my life before I arrived in Ninjago. I learned to live without a past, but the missing knowledge has never really ceased to bother me. If you know who I am, please, tell me."

"That's easy." Julien offered another one of his kind smiles, setting his tools down. "You are a soldier. A leader, even? A friend, most definitely."

"That is not. . ." Zane shook his head. "That is not what I meant."

"Who you _were_ has no effect on who you _are_ , Zane." Julien said, playing a hand upon Zane's shoulder. "But if the truth is what you wish to hear. . . I just wonder if you are ready."

"Ready?" The more the old man said, the worse Zane's nerves became. But he _wanted_ the truth. "I am. Tell me what you know."

"Well, Zane. . . I'm sure you've noticed you are very different from those around you?"

Zane nodded.

"That's because . . . you aren't _human_ , per say." Julien said. "You know, how I wished to travel throughout dimensions, in order to gain greater knowledge of things? You are one of the things I learned about, Zane. And through what I learned, I built you. I created you, because I knew this world was in desperate need of someone like you."

Zane tried to understand, but the words the man spoke. . . they weren't making any sense. "Built. . . me?"

"Well, it is a bit hard to explain, since this world isn't quite as advanced as others," Julien stated. "But you're a robot, Zane. Artificial life. Your body? It never tires, does it? You've never experienced a wound. Never been sick. Because, as I said, you aren't human."

Zane stumbled back, as the bits of information he could understand clung to his mind. Julien support him, helping him to remain standing. Yes, Zane had known he was different. But. . . he hadn't known how _much_ difference there was between him and everyone else.

"I don't think anyone else would understand, my dear boy." Julien continued. "But I needed to give you a chance to be part of this world. So I gave you a clean mind, in order for you to build your own memories from the ground up. To choose your own path, without anyone treating you any different."

"So. . . there is nothing?" Zane said. " I do not. . . have a family. . . a past? A purpose?"

"Well, I suppose _I_ could be your family. At least, I have always thought of you as a son. You can't believe how incredibly proud I was, to see what you had become." Julien's eyes shone with tears for a brief moment, before he continued. "And you don't need a past, Zane, not as long as you have the _future_."

"But my purpose then?" Zane asked, his voice rising slightly. "Who I am I supposed to be?"

"Zane," Julien shook his head. "That is all up to _you_. You are whoever you _want_ to be."

* * *

Morning seemed to come sooner than anyone would have liked.

The only one who was anywhere near well-rested was Lloyd, but he wasn't quite as enthusiastic as usual. His stomach was jumbled up with nerves, and he could almost _feel_ the pressure of whatever conclusion they were heading towards.

"So. . . we head to the town then." Kai finally spoke up, after it became clear that no one else was going to. Jay gave an absent-minded nod, dark shadows painted heavily beneath his eyes. Zane didn't give any sort of response, his mind clearly occupied with other thoughts. "What's the plan after that?"

"I mean. . ." Lloyd turned away from the window, his fingers fidgeting as he spoke. "We need to figure out where the Djinn and Nya are. And then. . . we confront him?"

"That's not much of a plan." Kai sighed. "But I guess we can't really come up with much, can we? Anything could happen."

"Yeah," Jay's face seemed to pale. "Anything."

"Which is why. . ." Kai cleared his throat, before turning towards Lloyd. "I think you should stay here."

"What!?" Lloyd scowled, crossing his arms. "No."

" _Yes_." Kai pressed. "We don't know what we're going into. And you're. . . You're still a kid Lloyd. I don't want you to get hurt."

Lloyd rolled his eyes. "As if I have to listen to _you_. What are you going to do, glue me to the floor? Ninjago is _my_ home too. I'm going to help."

"Lloyd. . ."

"It'll turn out alright," Julien smiled. "You've gotten this far! I'm sure defeating the Djinn will be nothing compared to what you have already been through."

"I guess that's true. . ." Kai responded, although his face didn't change. He looked at Lloyd with worried eyes, and the child's scowl only deepened.

"Besides," Jay gave a small smile. "The best shot we have at keeping the kid safe is to keep our eyes on him. He's insane. If we tried to leave him behind, I wouldn't be surprised if he ran all the way to town and tried to fix everything himself."

Lloyd smiled.

"Okay, Okay." Kai shook his head, hoping he wouldn't regret his decision, but knowing Jay was right. He could try to order Lloyd around, but the kid had never been the best at listening. "Forget I said anything then. We go to town together."

"Now C'mon. Eat up." Julien said. "Then you can head to the town, and bring this whole thing to an end."

They obediently followed Julien's orders, digging into what the fruit and oatmeal bowl the man had placed in front of them. Lloyd and Jay stirred the food around at first, until finally reluctantly bringing it to their mouths. Kai ate without thinking, focused only on what was to come.

After the homemade breakfast, Julien allowed each of them to clean up. Soon enough, they were ready, and Julien handed Kai a small satchel filled with fruit, along with a canteen of water. Jay carried the poison and the teapot, both of them strapped to his belt.

"Thank you for all this," Kai nodded. "I wasn't really sure how much we could trust you. . . But you're not so bad."

"You're always welcome here." Julien nodded. "Once everything turns out alright, don't forget to visit every once in a while, yes?"

Julien's eyes swept throughout everyone, until finally stopping against Zane.

"Yes. . . We will." Zane responded.

Together, they headed off into the jungle.

* * *

When Cole returned to himself, the sun had begun to set.

He struggled to stand, an action that he found increasingly difficult as he rapidly sunk further into the floor of the lighthouse. When he finally regained his footing, he looked around frantically, hoping that _maybe_ , it was still the same sunset as the day before. Maybe, maybe he'd just been gone for minutes, instead of hours.

But of course, it was all wishful thinking.

Everyone had gone. They were off to stop the cursed Djinn.

Off to eliminate Cole's wish. Off to pull Jay back into danger.

Cole had to stop them. Somehow. There simply _had_ to be a way. At this point, he could care less if he was pulled into wishing for something else. He allowed his body to sink down the stairs, willing himself to stop once he had reached the bottom.

He stepped through the door, and into the coming night. The jungle spread before him, a large obstacle standing between him and the others. Cole began to walk forward, hoping he could follow the traces of his friends, hoping he could make it in time to make a difference.

And if he didn't?

If he couldn't stop the wishes from being made. . . If he couldn't find a way to get through to Jay. . .

Then what?

If his wish was repelled. . . there _had_ to be a way to prevent the poison from taking Jay's life. But even if there was an anti-venom, what would be the chances that Cole would be able to find it in a fast and convenient manner?

Next to zero, if anything.

A cure was out of the question then. So then, what could he do?

If he had been alive, Cole's stomach would have twisted tightly at the new, unexpected thought that flared into his mind.

If worse came to worse . . . There _was_ one way he could prevent the poison from taking his friend's life. . .

It all came down to timing. That, and how much Cole was truly willing to do to save Jay.


	22. Together

Chapter 22 - Together

Walking into Ninjago's town was like a punch in the gut.

It was mostly deserted, with people choosing to keep hidden instead of stepping out to face the hordes of pirates and brain-washed soldiers. Some houses and stores had been burned down completely, windows were broken, doors maliciously kicked in.

Kai tried his best to keep his face from showing any emotion, determined to keep his mind on the task at hand. Besides, things would be fixed. All they had to do was take the Djinn down.

"So. . . what should we do?" Jay piped in, looking around the eerie town. Being out in the open felt extremely uncomfortable after the warm shadows that the jungle had provided. He felt that any second, one of the Djinn's men would hop forward to drag them away.

"Well, last time I was here, Nadakhan was in my uncle's mansion." Lloyd turned to look, but he couldn't see his former home from where he stood. "So. . . we go there."

"We need weapons first. And now that we're _here_ , we need a plan. A real plan," Kai stated, finally making a decision. He began to move forward with more purpose, forcing the others to follow him. "We can stop by my place."

"Let us hope they did not already take every weapon available," Zane pointed out, and Kai nodded.

"If you're going to your place, I want to go to mine," Jay said. "I need to know if my parents are okay. They need to know that _I'm_ okay. And maybe they'll be able to tell us what's going on. Their house isn't in the town, so maybe they escaped the worst of it."

"We'll go to my place first then," Kai said. "Since it's closer."

They continued forward, reaching Kai's home a bit too soon. Despite the efforts to steel his mind against whatever might have happened while they were away, he couldn't help but falter. Each of the windows had been shattered, and the door lay on the ground, a couple of feet away from its rightful place. The blacksmith shop itself was a mess, with discarded, rusted weapons thrown about, ashes coating the ground, and the walls black with soot.

Tools were missing, and Kai knew bringing the place back to its feet would take a lot of money, money that they did not have. The business his father had worked to establish might never again return. He felt sick to his stomach, and he didn't dare enter the house itself. For what? To see his childhood memories and possessions destroyed?

"Whoa. . ." Lloyd looked around, and he couldn't help but feel a little guilty. All of this had only been possible because of his father. If Lloyd had allowed Wu to try and stop him. . . "I'm sorry."

"It's. . ." Kai shrugged. "Let's just focus on finding a weapon. There's got to be _something_ useful, somewhere."

They began to search, each of them silent, each enthralled by their own thoughts. Despite their efforts to search, the only weapons that were left were either rusted beyond repair, or misshapen. The closest they came to something that might be sharp enough to inflict any sort of damage was a small silver dagger, hidden beneath a mound of ashes.

"I mean," Jay held the dagger in hand, twisting it around. "All we need to do is cut him, right?"

"Yeah, but you would have to get _really_ close to be able to do any damage." Lloyd pointed out. "He'll probably cut up whoever fights him before they get close."

"Ha, that's reassuring."

"Well, it's the best we've got." Kai shrugged, a strange numbness dragging down his feelings. "So guess we'll have to risk it."

"It appears that is the only option." Zane nodded. "But the question does remain. . . who will fight the Djinn?"

"I vote Zane!" Lloyd smiled. "He's probably the one with the most chance of success."

Kai shrugged. "Sure."

"As long as it isn't me, I'm good," Jay said.

"I have no problem with that." Zane agreed. "And once he's down, we will make the wishes necessary to fix all of this."

"So should we poison the dagger now, or right before we fight him?" Lloyd asked, looking at the weapon.

"Before we fight him," Jay answered. "Just to be sure the poison will work."

"Agreed. But we should do it where the Djinn himself won't see. If he does not know about the poison, he will not see us as much of a threat. Overconfidence on his part might give us more of chance to defeat him."

"Well then," Jay shoved the dagger onto his belt, alongside the canteen of poison. "Now that it's settled, let's go see my parents."

* * *

For Edna, the past weeks had been a whirlwind of unbelievably strong emotions.

And none of them had been pleasant.

It all started on a day that should have been like any other. Neither her nor her husband had much planned to do, other than tinker around with the things they had collected throughout their travels. She wasn't surprised when she was the first one to wake, and she wasn't surprised when she'd finished cooking breakfast, and both her husband and her son were still locked up in their respective rooms.

After setting the small table, Edna had headed towards her son's room, knocking loudly before stepping inside.

But the room was empty.

For a moment, she was surprised. Then Edna waved the worry away, deciding that Jay had most likely decided to head to the market earlier than usual. To spend time with the secret girl Edna was most definitely _not_ supposed to know about.

She couldn't have guessed that everything from that moment on would begin to spiral down, with one bad occurrence after another.

For a while, Edna's morning carried on like usual. But when the sky began to darken, and Jay still hadn't returned, she finally admitted to herself that something wasn't right.

Jay did not return that night. Or the night after that.

On the fifth day, early morning, as the sun slowly rose, something _did_ arrive onto the island of Ninjago, but it wasn't her son.

It was pirates. Led by the infamous Captain Garmadon, they swept onto the island, creating chaos and destruction simply because they could.

Luckily for Edna, her and her husband had stubbornly built their home far away from the town. While some people were robbed of any and all valuables, and forcefully kicked out of their homes, they were left alone.

On the sixth day, with Jay still nowhere to be seen, Edna headed into the town, along with her husband. They guided the people who had no refuge towards their home, determined to help as much as they could.

Things continued on in this manner, to the point where Ed wound up adding an additional room to their already oddly shaped home. A week passed, and things fell into a rhythm. Edna got to know most of the people fairly well, and they all worked together, even going to the point of planning a siege to the large mansion, where the pirate captain had been last seen. Things couldn't continue in this manner, and when it became obvious that no one was going to step in to their rescue, the people of Ninjago decided that this battle was in their hands.

On the thirteenth day, someone new stumbled into their safe haven.

She was one of the Admiral's cooks, and she had been trapped in the mansion throughout all of the strange occurrences. It was through her that Edna learned the pirate captain wasn't the one in charge of their demise any longer. There was something more sinister pulling the strings in Ninjago, something that sounded like it came out of a fairy tale, something that didn't quite click with reality.

"Last I heard," the girl stated, holding a warm cup of tea in her hands. "The strange creature seemed to be preparing for a wedding. There are still more people up there, working for him. We were ordered to prepare a feast. And everyone seemed happy to do it! It was strange. They were as devoted to him as if he was the Admiral himself. It was all too bizarre. I'd only just began to work up there a couple of days before it all happened, so I don't know any people there. Figured I had no reason to stay so. . . I ran for it."

Edna didn't know what to do with this information.

Wu's people, loyal to the creature?

A _wedding_?

* * *

"Are we almost there?" Lloyd muttered. His feet had begun to ache long ago, but the pain was now bordering on unbearable. The food Julien had given them was all gone, and had been gone for a good while, due to lack of self-control. To top it all off, the rest they'd gotten at the lighthouse was fading fast, and Lloyd couldn't remember his eyelids ever feeling as heavy as they did now.

Jay nodded, unable to really form any words. They were walking alongside the beach now, on a direct path to the home his parents had built not so long ago. The closer they came, the more his anxiety heightened, the worry for his parents making his knees weak.

A couple of more steps forward, and a whiff of something traveled on the warm breeze. Jay recognized the smell as his mom's cooking instantly, and he could feel his body almost crumbling in relief. Without looking back at the others, Jay ran forward, eager for proof that his hopes were right.

"Mom!"

Jay's voice boomed loudly, and Edna turned, startled out of her wits. For a moment, she was frozen, sure that the figure of her son before her was nothing more than a cruel apparition. When Jay continued to run closer without fading, Edna allowed herself to smile.

They embraced, both of them holding the other a bit too tightly. For a second, Jay felt the weight of everything begin to unwind, and he struggled to fight back tears. He pulled away from the embrace, trying to step forward.

"Is dad here? He's gotta be right? I have to-"

Jay's movement was halted as Edna pulled him back, none too gently. Now that she knew her son was alright, her worry bubbled up into anger. "Oh you'll see your father soon enough, Jay. But first! What happened? Why did you leave? You had me worried _sick_ , Jay! And then everything started happening, and I. . . I hoped you were alright, but I was beginning to fear the worst! What's your story then? You better have a good explanation. You could have left us a note at the very least!"

"I _did_ leave a-" Jay froze, thinking back on the night he had left. It was so long ago, that the details had begun to melt into one another. He had planned to leave a note. He'd even planned out exactly what he would say. But had he actually ever _written_ it? Jay gulped. He wasn't sure. "I'm sorry mom. I didn't think I would be gone so long. It was all so sudden. There's. . . Well a friend of mine wound up getting kidnapped. Really bizarre stuff. And I couldn't just, do nothing you know? So I met this kid, and then we went off on a ship, to get her, stowed away really, and-"

"Shh." Edna pressed her hand against Jay's mouth, knowing that was the only way to stop her son's mouth from moving. She looked behind him, at the people who were coming up along the beach. "You brought friends."

"Oh! Yeah." Jay nodded, stepping away from her mom's hand. "That's Kai. He's the brother of my friend, the one that got kidnapped. And that's Zane, he used to work for Wu but. . . well. Long story. And then that's Lloyd. He's Garmadon's son."

Edna's gaze traveled quickly from Kai to Zane, until finally settling down on Lloyd. The small child looked utterly exhausted, and Edna had to fight the sudden urge to pick him up and hold him tight. "Garmadon has a son?"

Jay opened his mouth to answer, but it was Lloyd that spoke up. "Yes. And we're here to save him. Save everyone really."

"Save him?" Edna frowned. As far as _she_ knew, Garmadon was the cause of everything. Alongside the strange newcomer that now haunted the Admiral's mansion.

"Long story! Again." Jay stated. "Short version, Garmadon released a Djinn but the Djinn is evil and he's into trapping peoples' souls. So the Djinn trapped Garmadon and that's who is currently our enemy. Plus he kidnapped Nya. My friend. He kidnapped my friend."

"Oh." Edna massaged her temple, Jay's words struggling to make any sort of sense. She could feel a slight headache beginning to form. "Things are just insane lately. You go missing, pirates raid Ninjago, people kicked out of their homes, people preparing for a _wedding_ , of all things, and now a Djinn! I simply-"

"A wedding?" Both Lloyd and Kai said in unison.

Edna halted her train of thought, turning towards Lloyd, then Kai. "Yes. It seems whoever is at the mansion was planning to _marry_ somebody. Out of nowhere! I can't understand how that fits in with anything? I don't understand anything, to be honest."

"That's bad." Lloyd shook his head. "If a Djinn marries, he will receive the power to make unlimited wishes. He won't need to take anyone's soul anymore. He'll be able to do whatever he wants, whenever he wants."

"What!?" Jay swiveled around. "Ah!? If, if he does that, there is absolutely no way we can take him."

"Well, he'd still have to grant the wishes he hears. But yeah. He could _literally_ make it impossible for us to reach him." Lloyd frowned, then yawned widely. "I'm too tired for this. . ."

"Is _that_ why he took Nya?" Kai's voice shook, whether from worry or anger, it was impossible to tell. "Why _her_?"

"That's it! It's impossible. We can't." Jay shook his head. "It's over. Might as well get used to living under a power crazy Djinn. That's what life's gonna be like for the rest of eternity."

" _No_." Edna smacked the back of Jay's head, making her son flinch. "We can still do this. Don't talk like that. All you boys need is a little rest. We will worry about these things tomorrow. For now, come in. Talk to the others. _Eat._ Rest."

With bright eyes, Jay and Lloyd nodded, heading towards the smell of food. Zane followed behind, finding no flaw in the woman's orders. Kai, however, stood his ground, his face forming a tight frown.

"But we have to hu-"

Edna held up a finger, silencing Kai's words with a look. "All hurrying will do is bring you trouble. Now listen to me and go on inside."

It was odd, but there was a certain tone of command in Edna's voice that Kai couldn't ignore. He scowled, but the fiery look in the eyes of Jay's mom didn't falter. In the end, Kai gave in, following the others in a sulking manner.

Edna smiled, following close behind.


	23. A Path Of Wishes

Chapter 23- A path of wishes

Nadakhan observed the people of Ninjago, his body shrouded in invisibility, a power he had granted himself through the many wishes he'd managed to accumulate. He listened with amusement as they prepared to band together, planning to take over the mansion with their own hands, and overthrow Nadakhan himself.

It was very difficult not to laugh in mockery of their efforts.

They could, of course, try to fight. But Nadakhan held Wu's navy in his grasp, and he wondered how many of the islanders would truly be willing to harm those that once defended them. The people would hesitate to cause harm, while the brainwashed soldiers would not.

The people of the island would destroy one another, and all the while, Nadakhan would grow stronger.

In an instant, Nadakhan moved away from the pitiful people, and back towards the mansion. He'd grown quite accustomed to the place now, and it would be a bit sad to part from it. But once Nadakhan had made Dilara his wife, he had no intention of staying in Ninjago. The world was large, and the Djinn wanted every bit of it under his thumb.

"You're back,"

Nadakhan turned, pleased to see Dilara behind him. There was a twinge of something unnatural glowing in her eyes, a persistent green glow entwined along her irises. "Yes. The little people who still have a will of their own think they'll stop us. Overthrow me, and take back their island."

"You could stop them," Dilara said, stepping forward. "One wish is all it would take."

"True," Nadakhan shrugged. "But let them try. It'll be all the more satisfying to see them as I snatch victory away from their reach."

"They have stopped you before, you know." Dilara pointed out. "What makes you think this time will be different? You shouldn't risk so much, for nothing."

"I _know_ it will be different, my love." The Djinn smiled sweetly. "I have learned how humans work. I know exactly what to do. I told you what I did, how easily they all yielded to my will. Compared to me, they are nothing."

"But why take the risk?"

" _Because_ ," The Djinn's voice was a low growl, and for a moment, his eyes flashed with bitterness. He quickly subdued the powerful feelings, knowing Dilara had nothing to do with the fire burning within him, and she did not deserve to be harmed by it. "Because, my dear, I need this. Their pain. . . After what I've been through, I deserve to see them suffer."

Dilara shook her head slowly, reaching for the Djinn's hand. "Let it go. This desire for revenge will be your undoing. We are together again, why do you insist on reaching for more?"

"I'm sorry Dilara," Nadakhan stated, his voice firm. "I will not change my mind. But truly, you shouldn't worry. It will be alright."

With a sigh, Dilara admitted defeat. But she knew that the path Nadakhan followed would hold nothing but misery.

* * *

Jay's sleep was nothing more than a mesh of nightmares.

He gave up on sleep far too early, with the sun still hiding beneath the horizon. The day ahead filled him with nerves, the uncertainty of everything making him shudder with nerves. They'd made a plan last night. Well, not much a _plan_ but. . . it was something to go on, all the same.

Kai and Zane would stick together, heading towards the mansion, and marching through the front gates along with the townspeople. _Hopefully_ they would get inside. _Hopefully_ Wu's soldiers would be overwhelmed by the people. And then, if it all went right, Zane would battle the Djinn. If Zane was unable to defeat him, Kai would be his back up.

Jay's part would be less complicated, but still fairly dangerous, through his point of view. He would sneak into the mansion, alongside Lloyd. Since the kid knew the grounds better than anyone, getting inside wouldn't be much of a problem. Plus, the battle at the front gate would divert most of the guards away from them.

 _Hopefully._

Once inside, Jay and Lloyd would search for Nya, and get her our safely, per Kai's request. Although Jay was sure Nya would despise the idea of being steered away from the fighting, he was glad that his part of the plan involved more stealth than actual confrontation.

If everything went right, Nya would be back to them, the wishes would be reversed, and Nadakhan would be once again permanently trapped within the teapot by the end of the day.

Which sounded like a good ending. Except, it wasn't. There was still Cole.

"Couldn't sleep huh?"

Jay jolted, turning to see Kai walk up beside him. "Yeah. . ."

"Me either. Not really." Kai turned towards the beach, and they both watched the sun begin to rise. The sight felt out of place. It didn't match up with the feeling of doom hanging over the island of Ninjago. "It's still hard to believe this is happening."

Instead of responding, Jay settled for a small nod.

"I'm surprised you don't have much to say. Kind of weird."

"Sorry,"' Jay forced a laugh. "There's just. . . "

"It's Cole isn't it? You want to make a wish for him, don't you?"

"Maybe?"

"I can understand that. But I don't think you should. I mean, I didn't spend as much time with the guy as you did, but I doubt he would want you to wish him back into existence. I mean, do we _really_ want to start this thing all over again?" Kai placed a hand of Jay's shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "I'm really sorry Jay. But don't make a choice you'll regret."

"I get it, I get it."

"And. . . Sorry I gave you such a hard time before. You're pretty alright."

"Really?"

"Definitely." Kai said, offering up a warm smile. "I'll look forward to getting to know you better once this is all over."

"Well. . . Same here." Jay smiled back. "We're bonded for life after this. So you will most certainly get to know me better."

They turned again towards the sunrise. The twisting nerves of what was to come remained, but there was now a sliver of hope alongside it. Whatever might happen, they all had each other's backs. Jay took comfort in knowing he wasn't alone, and Kai allowed himself to relax, knowing he would have someone to rely on.

* * *

Nadakhan stepped out of the mansion, feeling excitement at the prospect of the battle to come.

He could see the villagers, coming up from the town. Nadakhan's own soldiers stood by the gates, waiting patiently for the fight to begin. And one by one, everyone who stood against Nadakhan would fall. And he would be here to witness it all.

Then after this, he would need to hurry and proceed with the marriage. He'd spent most of his wishes today already, as he brought his former crew back together. He only had two more wishes to use, and although he had confidence in Wu's soldiers, he couldn't help but feel a bit nervous. The sooner he had unlimited power, the better it would be.

The battle began, but it was not nearly as satisfying as Nadakhan had imagined.

The soldiers had skill, but their movements were monotonous. The only thing that fueled them to fight was Nadakhan's power. They weren't aware of what might be lost or what might be gained.

The people of Ninjago, on the other hand, had passion. They fought back relentlessly, even going so far as to push the soldiers back, gaining entrance to the mansion's grounds. But they couldn't succeed, could they?

Two figures broke apart from the fight. They pushed on past the soldiers, dodging their attention as they went. Their sole focus seemed to be Nadakhan himself.

One of them carried a sword, stolen from one of Wu's soldiers, and the other had nothing more than a fierce look burning in his eyes. Nadakhan was tempted to wait for them to come closer, tempted to strike them down by his own hand. Maybe then, he would feel the satisfaction he sought after.

But Dilara's warnings stuck to him, and he couldn't bring himself to risk more than he already had. Soon, he would have an endless amount of wishes. And then, then he would destroy everything he needed to, in order to fill the strange void in his chest.

For now, however, what he needed was a way to keep the people of Ninjago away from the wedding, and the private feast that would follow.

"I wish for a ferocious creature to defend these grounds until its dying breath," Nadakhan said to himself, drawing upon his own power. He took a couple of steps back, moving back inside the mansion. "And I wish for a thick wall of thorns, to surround this place, until there is no way left to enter."

As his wishes began to materialize, The Djinn slammed the doors to the mansion shut.

* * *

Once Lloyd woke up, the day felt as if it rushed forward, roughly pushing him towards the ultimate conclusion of the troubles his father had started.

One second he was within Jay's house, only half awake, trying to gulp down a bit of food while collecting his thoughts from sleep. And now, he found himself leading Jay forward, using the knowledge he'd accumulated of the mansion.

"And here it is." Lloyd pointed forward, at a small, silver gate. Vines were wrapped around the metal, as the wildlife threated to overpower the entrance altogether. "Pretty sure everyone's forgotten about it."

"Yeah, looks that way." Jay stepped forward, pushing his weight against the gate. When it wouldn't budge, he stepped back. "The stupid plants are holding it shut."

"Good thing I have this then," Lloyd smirked, pulling out the small dagger they'd found in Kai's shop. With swift movements, he cut away the vines that had kept the door closed. "Whoa. This thing is _sharp_."

"No kidding," Jay said, stepping inside the mansion's grounds. "I don't know how I feel about letting you keep that."

Lloyd shrugged, lodging it back against his belt. "C'mon let's just go. We can sneak in through the kitchens."

"As long as we don't run into the Djinn ourselves." Jay shuddered.

"Let's hope not."

Once inside, the mansion itself, Jay stuck close to Lloyd. The kid moved quickly, and confidently, guiding Jay through a maze of small halls. "Where are we, exactly?"

"The people that work here usually take these halls, instead of the big fancy ones. I don't think the Djinn would have thought of guarding these. They should take us to the second floor, and hopefully Nya will be in one of the rooms there." Lloyd said, as he trotted up a small set of stairs. "I think we'll be alright. I don't hear anyone out there. Kai and Zane must be fighting already."

Jay nodded, too winded to speak. He hoped the others were alright.

"Here," Lloyd stopped in front of a wooden door. He stooped down to the keyhole, peeking through to make sure the hall on the other side was empty. "Doesn't look like anyone's there. You ready?"

"Guess so."

Without further hestitation, Lloyd pushed the door open. They stepped into a large hall, their steps echoing loudly, making Jay flinch at each step. "Now what?"

"Well now we look. Nya's gotta be here _somewhere._ " Lloyd ran forward, peeking into each room as he went.

"Lloyd wait." Jay hissed. Someone was bound to hear them, if Lloyd didn't act with more caution. "You're too loud."

"The faster we find her the better, right?" Lloyd shrugged, turning back to face Jay. "Besides-. . . Oh! Nya!"

At the kid's words, Jay whirled around, fast enough to nearly lose his balance. Nya stood before them, wearing long white gown. Although it suited Nya's figure, it stilled seemed out of place, Jay couldn't imagine her ever slipping into a dress such as that willingly. And yet, the woman before him didn't seem uncomfortable in the lavish clothes. "Nya?"

Nya smiled, but the gesture was cold and mocking. Jay's heart jolted in fear. Something wasn't right.

"And what are you two doing here?" Nya stepped forward, and Jay found himself stepping back.

"We're here to get you out." Lloyd spoke up, but his voice was soft, unsure.

"I don't want to go anywhere, actually." She took another step forward. "And my name is Dilara.."

Jay and Lloyd exchanged confused glances. When Jay turned back towards Nya, Dilara?, he was surprised to find she stood no more than a foot away. At this distance, he could see a bizarre green glow emanating from her eyes. "Dilara?"

"That's right. Nadakhan was kind enough to wish my memories back into my mind. I'm afraid there's nothing left of the girl you're looking for."

"I don't understand. Nya you-" Jay's words were cut short, as Dilara swung a punch forward, striking his eye directly. Jay tumbled backwards, crashing against Lloyd. "Whoa! Ouch. That hurt."

Dilara smiled, swinging a strong kick against Jay's stomach. Her dress prevented her from putting all of her force into it, but the attack was strong enough. Jay felt the breath forced out of his lungs, and black dots began to erase the world around him.

"No. . . I . . ." Jay's words were heavy, as his body lost control of itself and fell back. He heard Lloyd's voice shout something, but he couldn't make sense of it.

As the darkness continued to grow, the last thing Jay saw was Dilara's glowing eyes.


	24. Broken And Mended

Chapter 24-Broken And Mended

When Cole shuddered back into existence, he felt absolutely disoriented.

He stood at the edge of the town, and it took him a couple of minutes to remember the awkward trip through the jungle, until he ultimately felt himself fading away.

But now, he was back.

He had no way of knowing how long he'd been gone. The sun was setting against the horizon now, so maybe only a couple of hours had gone by. Or maybe, it had been days. There was no way to know.

Reassuringly enough, he was still a ghost. Which meant none of the others had made a wish yet. So Jay was still alive.

 _Or_ the Djinn had wiped everyone off the map, before they were able to fight back.

Cole chose to ignore that second possibility, walking further into the town. The ground beneath his feet felt more solid than before, and he wasn't quite sinking into it any longer. Whatever strength he'd lost when he'd been tossed into the water while in Jay's body, he was beginning to gain it back. Maybe now he wouldn't keep losing consciousness.

Although he'd spent the past ten years of his life away from Ninjago, he could still remember the location of everything. He could still remember where his home had been, and it was very tempting to detour towards it. But everything in the town was in shambles, it wouldn't be a good idea to see what had become of it. Cole had to remained focused. He had to be right by Jay's side, when the wish against Nadakhan was made.

Once it was all said and done, there would be no miraculous cure to heal Jay's wound. No cleaver, well thought wish to stitch everything back together, without negative consequences. In fact, there was only one thing that had any possibility of success. A thing that Cole had become far too familiar with, throughout his years as a pirate.

Brute force.

Instinctively, Cole's hand flew to his side, to his empty, ghostly scabbard. He would have to find a weapon. One that would hopefully be sharp enough to do the job.

Cole continued to move forward, heading towards the Admiral's grand mansion, begging the universe to allow him to reach Jay's side in time.

* * *

Kai didn't hear the Djinn's words, but he did see the effect of them.

Thick, brown vines grew from the ground within seconds, with large thorns emerging from them. They surrounded the mansion completely, growing too fast for them to sneak inside. Kai skidded to a stop, pulling Zane back by his clothes before he could ram straight into them.

Kai stomped his foot against the ground, anger flushing his skin. "Well that's playing fair, isn't it!"

"Jay would have hopefulluy made it inside." Zane pointed out. "He could get to Nya."

"And so what Zane? We have the stupid poison! What good could Jay do by himself? He's going to get himself, Nya, _and_ the kid killed!"

"Well shouting isn't really going to help us, is it?" Zane pointed out, and Kai shut his mouth quickly, preventing any more words from escaping. "There is always a way to do things. All we need to do is find it."

Kai ran his hands through his hair, trying to reel in the unpleasant anger rattling through him. Once he felt calm enough, he looked back at Zane, but his eyes shifted to the side, to something behind him. Something that was far more troublesome than the thorns surrounding the mansion.

"Looks like he didn't only make _one_ wish." Kai tried to laugh, but he couldn't help but take a step back.

Zane turned, following Kai's backward stumble.

Before them, stood a creature that held absolutely no resemblance to anything they had ever seen before. It stood on two, scale-coated legs. Its feet were large, ending in three curved claws, which appeared to be sharp enough to slice through anything. Thin arms emerged from the creature's torso, with three long fingers at the end of each.

It towered above them by a significant amount. To Kai, the creature's head resembled that of a fish, with two blue glowing eyes on either side of its face, and a long mouth, stretching a bit too far back. Sharp teeth were stuck to both the bottom and the top of the creature's mouth, crooked enough to prevent it from closing its mouth properly.

As if realizing its presence had finally been acknowledged, the creature growled.

"Well Zane, if there's a always a way to do things, how do we deal with _that!?_ " Kai asked, his voice once again rising to a higher volume.

The creature ran at them, its head tilted awkwardly to allow one of its eyes to focus. Kai tensed, ready to run, but when he Zane stood his ground, Kai found himself unable to leave him. "What are you doing!?"

When the creature was close enough, Zane slashed the sword forward, aiming at the creature's belly. It remained unharmed, as if Zane had done nothing more than swat at it with a feeble straw. With another, softer growl, the creature slashed one of its arms forward. Kai jumped back, avoiding the impact by mere inches.

Zane, however, wasn't quite as lucky.

Still startled at the lack of damage, he was in no position to react. The creatures arm hit him full force, sending his body flying through the air, directly towards the wall of thorns.

Kai's eyes widened. "Zane!"

* * *

". . . _Jay_ , Jay! Jay. . . JAY!"

Jay's mind was startled awake by the persistent shouts against his ears. Lloyd hung over him, his green eyes wide and worried. ". . .Hi."

"You're awake!" Lloyd smiled, moving back to allow Jay enough room to sit up. "About time too. We need to get out of here. That Nya friend of yours locked the door through. I tried to keep her from throwing us in here but wow she is _strong_. I've never been hit so hard in my life!"

Lloyd's face was covered in a wide smile, as he pointed to his lip, which was covered in dried blood. "See? I _did_ manage to scratch her but I think that only made her more upset than anything."

"You're way too excited about this," Jay groaned, realzing that his body felt more dead than alive. There was a persistent pulse in his head, and his left eye was swollen shut, making the world around him seem slightly out of focus. "You _do_ realize this isn't a game right? And now the Djinn could by an all-powerful entity?"

The smile vanished, and Lloyd looked down, crossing his arms defensively. "Yes, I know, okay?"

"Sorry," Jay said quickly. "I'm just a little freaked out. This wasn't supposed to happen. We should have been out of here by now, with Nya. And now we're locked in a stupid room, and who _knows_ what's even going on out there."

"Don't worry," Lloyd hopped to his feet, then reached down to offer Jay a hand. "Kai and Zane will do their part, you'll see! Plus, this isn't _any_ room. It's the library!"

"Whopee. We can read something until our ultimate demise." Jay sighed, accepting Lloyd's help. Once on his feet, Jay struggled to gain his balance, his legs feeling weak and heavy. "Better than being stuck with nothing to do, I guess."

"Stop being such a ninny." Lloyd rolled his eyes and Jay's persistent pessimism. The guy's moods were bizarre. He hopped from annoyingly optimistic comments, to persistently negative ones. "I spent a lot of time here, remember? I know a way out. There's a secret room which connects back to the hall. Not even my mom knew about it, so I'm pretty sure we can sneak out through there."

"Oh. Well. That's not bad."

Lloyd nodded, then beckoned Jay to follow him. He led the way to a large, aging chair, which smelled slightly of mildew and old age. The chair itself looked to be extremely heavy, with a thick, gold-colored frame. To Jay's surprise, however, Lloyd pushed it aside with ease. The kid then moved down to his hands and knees, then, with a bit of effort, slid a section of the wall open. Jay knelt beside him, and frowned.

" _That_ ," Jay pointed at the passage, which was small and very, very dark. "Looks like something I do _not_ want any part of."

"You want to save Ninjago, or not?" Lloyd said, before crawling into the darkness with admirable determination.

Jay sighed. "I guess I do."

Still struggling to ignore the pounding on his head, Jay followed Lloyd. He had absolutely no idea how long the path was, and he also had no way to know how long he'd been out. As far as he knew, it could already be far, far too late.

But still. Jay fed off Lloyd's stubborn purposefulness, and allowed himself to have hope. While crawling forward in the darkness, he prayed over and over that they would reach Nya and the Djinn in time.

* * *

Zane's body was roughly impaled by the thorns.

Kai felt his stomach twist, and he ran forward, hoping to reach the man in time, but knowing it would be too late. There would be nothing he could do.

"Zane. . ." Kai's voice was shaky and out of breath. He looked upon his companion, and instantly stumbled back in confusion. "Zane?"

There was no blood. No open wounds. And Zane's eyes remained as alert as ever.

Kai grimaced as he watched the man pull himself out of the tangle of thorns, with a nonchalant attitude that only added to Kai's confusion. The holes that the impact had created seemed to be filled with strange, colored strings that Kai simply couldn't make any sense of.

"What. . ."

Instead of answering, Zane pushed Kai to the side roughly, moving him out of the path of the creature's claws. "Maybe we can talk after this is dealt with?"

Forcing away the questions that plagued his mind, Kai nodded.

The creature bent its head forward, jaws widening in an attempt to take a sizable bit off of Kai's body. Kai stumbled backward, the creature's mouth snapping inches away from him. He chest suddenly convulsed in a violent fit of coughing, the stench of the creature's mouth blowing around him.

He was aware of Zane's voice somewhere around him, but the overpowering smell made his head feel dizzy and unfocused. He watched as the creature lifted one of its arms, but he couldn't make himself move fast enough to avoid it. The claws slashed three perfectly parallel gashes onto Kai's chest, before flinging him to the side.

Zane ran to his side, then began to drag him back, away from the creature. Kai watched as the monstrosity struggled momentarily, as the arm it had used to attack Kai had become lodged against the wall of thorns.

With one last cough, Kai shook his head, trying to bring his focus back. The pain emerging from his chest helped his mind sharpen, adrenaline spreading to every part of his body. "We need to trick it."

"Trick it?" Zane echoed.

"Yes," Kai nodded, then began to move back from the wall of thorns. The creature finally succeeded in freeing its limb, and was once again wholly determined to bring its prey down. "If we can make it crash into the wall, it'll be stuck. Maybe not for long, but hopefully it'll be enough time for us to use its body to climb over to the other side."

Zane thought about Kai's words, mapping out the situation in his head. ". . . Yes, it could work. But we would have to move fairly fast."

"I think we can pull it off," Kai said, although his words were sluggish, having to be forced out of his mouth with more effort than he was used to.

"I do not think we have a choice," Zane pointed out, as the creature once again barreled towards them. Zane easily lunged out of the way, and Kai moved to the opposite side, his movements a bit slower.

After giving each other a small nod, they both ran together, back towards the wall of thorns. The creature roared in frustration, before turning around, claws digging deep into the ground. Kai willed himself to keep up with Zane's pace, but he could feel the world swimming in and out of focus before him. His movements slowed, and he hoped that at least, Jay had gotten his sister our of the way safely.

Before he could crumple, however, he felt Zane pull him forward, half-carrying him to the edge of the wall. "Stay focused Kai."

Kai tried to nod, but found that he couldn't. He leaned heavily against Zane, trusting his friend to keep him away from danger. Zane stood his ground, his gaze made of steel as he stared down the approaching creature. His mind calculated everything at incredible speed, letting him know exactly when he should move out of the way.

The ground trembled slightly beneath him, but Zane stayed still, waiting, until. . .

 _Now!_

He jumped to the side, dragging Kai's weight alongside him. The creature ran past, its body lodging itself against the thorns in a painful manner. Without slowing down his movements, Zane moved Kai against his back, tightly holding onto his arms to keep him from sliding off.

Zane began to climb the creature's back, using the spikes and roughened scales to keep pushing himself back. The creature rattled its body endlessly, attempting to break free. Zane managed to reach the creature's head before it could do so, and he threw himself and Kai over the thick wall, landing with a dull _thud_ against the grass.

Kai groaned, clutching his chest and pulling himself up into a sitting position. "I think I'd better stay here. Don't think I'll do much more than slow you down."

"Are you . . . sure?" Zane frowned, feeling uncomfortable at the thought of being separated.

"I'm in no position to fight the Djinn anyway. And I'll be fine." Kai waved Zane away, scooting back to lean against the walls of the mansion. "Just hurry. That . . . _thing_ isn't occupied with us anymore, I don't want to know what'll happen if it wanders off towards the others."

Zane opened his mouth to protest, then nodded. Pulling the small canteen away from his belt, he coated his sword in a bit of poison, making sure to leave at least some behind, just in case. With another look back at Kai, he headed inside.

Kai watched him leave, wishing he could go along, but knowing it would be best for him to stay. Once Zane was inside, he shut his eyes, hoping and praying that Zane would get there in time to stop everything.

* * *

Unfortunately, Time was not on their side.

Neither Zane nor Jay managed to reach the Djinn before the vows were said, trying Nadakhan and Dilara together as one, and fueling the Djinn's power over wishes.

Jay and Lloyd were only a couple of seconds too late. They reached the main dining room through a small door in the back, which kept them out of sight as they peeked inside, watching as a strange light entwined itself around the body of the Djinn, before disappearing beneath his skin.

Zane, on the other hand, was in a hurry. He knew how many things were depending on him stopping everything in time, and when he reached the dining room, he burst inside through the main doors, hoping to shout out his wish for battle before anyone had any time to react.

"I wish for you to-"

The words couldn't have moved fast enough. A strong, roughened hand was instantly pressed against his lips, while another held him in place, although Zane struggled, he couldn't break free.

From his hidden point of view, Lloyd gave a small gasp, and Jay quickly pressed his own hand against the kid's mouth, to prevent him from shouting out. They watched in silence as the muscular woman that held Zane carried him towards the Djinn.

"You wish? You _wish_?" Nadakhan gave a small chuckle. "No, young man. I will no longer be granting anyone's wishes but my own."

He nodded at one of the other pirates. Jay watched as a man with a thick, rather impressive mustache stepped forward, stripping Zane of his weapon, and pulling the poison filled canteen out of his belt.

Nadakhan studied the blade and the poison. Anger and fear made him tense, and he quickly dropped both items against the table, scooting back the chair he'd been sitting on, to increase the distance between himself and the poison.

"Who told you about this?" Nadakhan hissed, before remembered that Zane's mouth was being forcefully covered. He shook his head before the woman could remove her hand. "Forget it. It doesn't matter. You've failed."

Lloyd turned away from everything, looking up at Jay, who seemed to be locked up with fear and nerves. "We need to get the poison."

Jay looked down at Lloyd, just as the kid shoved the small dagger into his hands. "What. . . ?"

"We still have a chance to stop him," Lloyd repeated. "We need to get the poison."

Jay began to shake his head, but before he could speak, their attention was diverted back towards Zane.

"Since you had such _awful_ plans for me, I should return the favor to you." The Djinn spat his words, each filled with the hatred had continuously grown within him for years. "I wish. . . I wish for you to be nothing more than a statue made out of stone."

Worry filled Zane's eyes for a brief second, then the expression froze, his body made out of nothing but rock.

Jay's legs shook, and he had to lean heavily against the wall, to prevent himself from toppling over.

Lloyd, on the other hand, felt a strong wave of anger rippled through him. "We have to stop him. I'll get you the poison. Then you can fight him."

"No, wait, Lloyd. We can't, _I_ can't." Jay shook his head frantically.

The child took Jay's hand on his own, forcing Jay's grip on the dagger to tighten. "I trust you."

"Lloyd-" Jay hissed, but it was too late. Lloyd had shot forward into the dining room, dodging the two pirates that reached out to stop him, before jumping onto the table, before the Djinn.

Nadakhan looked at the child, his eyes filled more with amusement than anything. "Ah. You again."

"Give me my dad back!" Lloyd growled, kicking the canteen off the table as hard as he could. It flew back, landing a couple of feet away from the door Jay was hiding behind. Knowing he had to keep the attention on himself, Lloyd shouted again, unleashed all the tangled feelings he'd kept within him from the day everything had fallen apart. "You ruined everything!"

Still fueled only by the array of feelings, Lloyd swung a punch forward, catching Nadakhan by surprise. Lloyd almost laughed. He swung again, adrenaline making the weight of his punches stronger than they would have been otherwise. It felt so _good_.

Before the he could strike for a third time, Nadakhan grabbed Lloyd's arms, before throwing him back. "You are quite foolish, you know? Didn't you see what I did to your friend over there?"

Lloyd didn't turn to look at Zane. He kept his gaze on the Djinn, a smirk tugging at the side of his lips.

Nadakhan rolled his eyes. "So, you truly believe you can convince me to return your father to you? Maybe you even believe you can defeat me. I'm sorry to say young boy, determination is nothing compared to _true_ power."

"Oh, I'm not trying to defeat you." Lloyd responded, holding back a bit of laughter. Dilara frowned at his words. If the kid had gotten out of the library. . .

"Nadakhan there's-"Dilara reached out in order to get the Djinn's attention, but her words were moments too late.

" _I WISH TO D-DUEL THE DJINN."_

The shout echoed throughout the room, Jay's voice shaky, fearful and yet. . .powerful. Nadakhan turned his head, running his eyes over the skinny, auburn haired man. In his shaking hands he held a small dagger awkwardly, as if he'd never used a weapon before in his life.

Nadakhan felt the weight of the words against his body, and he was forcefully brought to his feet by his own power.

"A duel?" The Djinn smiled, holding his hand out towards on of his men, one whose face was painted into a permanent smile with thick, colorful make-up. The man took the hint quickly, handing over his own sword to Nadakhan. The sword was long and sharp, and extremely intimidating when compared to Jay's insignificant weapon. "Ah well. . . Your wish is yours to keep."

"Be careful. Please." Dilara whispered, giving Nadakhan's arm a small squeeze.

In response, the Djinn scowled. "Come on my love. Look at him. Does he really look like a threat?"

"You can't underestimate him." Dilara pleaded, but she knew Nadakhan was not listening. His eyes were drowning in arrogance. He was too far for her too reach.

Gently, Nadakhan moved Dilara away from him, moving towards Jay, who hadn't stopped shaking since he'd made the wish.

Jay couldn't believe he'd done it. Couldn't believe that _everything_ rested on his shoulders. It was too much. He was going to be sick.

 _It's okay. It's okay._ Jay repeated those two words over and over, grasping as much comfort as he could from the empty letters. _You just have to cut him once. Once._

Nadakhan lunged forward, and Jay was too slow to react. The sword sliced at his forearm. Jay yelped moving back, tears swelling in his eyes. The pain was _far_ more than what he'd expected. It made him sheepish again, and he continued to move back, regretting every decision that had put him in the position he was now in.

"I'm so sorry, but it seems you made an awful mistake with your wish." Nadakhan swung his sword again. Jay jumped back, holding the dagger in front of him protectively.

 _I know_ , Jay wanted to say, to shout. But his throat felt swollen, and he couldn't get any of his words out.

He should have _never_ gotten involved.

What good had he done?

Another swing. This time, Jay's poisoned dagger classed with the sword, out of pure luck. The impact of it was almost as rattling as a cut itself, however, and he found no pleasure in having blocked the attack.

His eyes shifted, finding Lloyd in the background of everything.

Mistake number one. Pulling Lloyd into all of this.

One of Nadakhan's arms pushed Jay back roughly. He fell back, the landing sending a shock down his back.

Mistake number two. Failing Nya.

"Well, this was much quicker than I hoped." Nadakhan said. "You didn't try very hard did you?"

Jay began to get up, but stopped. Why should he? He couldn't do this. Cole should have been here. Cole would have overpowered the Djinn. Cole would have won. Cole wouldn't have been a shaking, worthless mess.

And that was Jay's final mistake. Not protecting Cole. Dooming everyone by staying alive, when Cole would have done far better in his place.

 _No_

Jay was startled by the voice. It was his own, but at the same time, it wasn't.

 _No_ It repeated _Don't give up_

Suddenly, Jay was filled with strength.

His strange, sudden thoughts were right. He couldn't give up. Yes, he'd made mistakes. Yes, maybe he'd ruined everything, but so what! He could fix it. He could fix everything. And oh, he was definitely strong enough to do so.

Jay looked up at the Djinn. The magical creature looked down at him, sword raised, eyes mocking. He didn't see Jay as a threat.

But Jay definitely was.

With a loud roar, Jay pushed himself forward, ramming the dagger deep into the Djinn's chest.

Nadakhan froze. The venom worked almost instantly. He felt every part of his body weaken. The sword slipped from his hand, clattering against the marble floor. Then the Djinn himself fell.

"Don't let him wish!" Dilara shouted, shaking off the shock quicker than the others.

Nadakhan's companions were slow to react. And Jay? Well, Jay had never felt more ready for anything in his life.

" _I wish for every wish since Garmadon's to lose their power,"_

Nadakhan tried to think, struggled for a way to twist the words. There was _always_ a way. But his mind felt woozy, and he had absolutely no control over himself. The magic inside him worked on its own.

One by one, Nadakhan's companions disappeared.

Dilara opened her mouth to scream in denial, but in a flash, she had gone, leaving only a slightly confused Nya behind.

Zane shuddered back to life.

Out in the mansion's grand garden, the mind of every soldier was returned.

And Jay. Jay was gifted with a new set of memories.

He _had_ saved Cole.

And now, he didn't have much time before the poison from Soto's sword killed him, as it should have.

Jay felt a burning sensation in his hand, but he ignored the pain, willing himself to stay focused.

"And I wish. . . I wish for you to be imprisoned in the teapot again, now and forever."

Nadakhan wanted to scream. To refuse. He tried to stubbornly cling to his power, but of course, once the wish had been spoken, there was no going back.

Jay smiled with pride. He knew he didn't have much time, but it didn't matter.

He had done it.

The burning in his hand stopped. Then, all at once, Jay was hit by the worst pain imaginable. It shook his body, his mind panicked as it tried to make sense of it all. Jay felt his mouth opening in an attempt to scream, but a thick darkness had quickly began to cloud his vision.

As he fell back, Jay felt someone stop him. He never reached the ground, and was instead welcomed by a warm embrace.

 _I'm really dying then, huh_ Jay thought, as his senses began to shut down, one by one.

Before he completely lost his grasp in reality, he could have sworn he heard Cole, repeatedly calling out his name.


	25. Strings Unwound

Chapter 25-Strings Unwound

". . . _Jay!_ "

Cole was jolted awake by the sound of his own voice. The sudden movement caused him to flip out of his hammock and into the hardwood floor. He was coated in sweat, making his clothes stick tightly against his body.

It took him a moment to regain his bearings, as he shook away the nightmare. Images flashed in his mind, memories muddled with the substance of dreams. Jay's fears. Cole himself, stepping forward to will strength into his friend. The wish, bringing Cole back to life while snatching Jay away.

The memories became more vivid. Cole's arm swinging forward, holding a stray sword, severing the lower half of his friend's arm. Then blood. _So_ much blood. Jay's body crumpling into itself. He had looked _so_ small, lingering in the thin line between life and death. Cole could still feel the heightened feelings of panic, as he had no way of knowing if he'd stopped the poison in time. No way to know if Jay was going to open his eyes again.

With a shudder, Cole brought himself back to the present moment. There wasn't much use in sitting around, letting the memories overwhelm him. He rubbed his eyes, riding himself of the last bit of the nightmare.

He stood slowly, working to regain his balance. His body ached, both from sleeping in an awkward position and falling hard against the ground. Instead of grimacing, however, Cole couldn't help but smile a bit. Pain was simply another reminder that yes, he was _alive._ He took a deep, slow breath, enjoying the feeling of his chest expanding and contracting as he did so.

Cole headed up onto the deck, the swaying of the ship beneath him soothing and familiar.

"Well, you're up fairly early." A voice behind him said, in a slightly amused tone. "Excited?"

He turned, watching as Garmadon walked towards him. Cole smiled at his captain. "Well, actually, someone's sailing dumped me out of my hammock."

Garmadon shrugged. "The sea is rough. I have no control over that."

"Not going to lie though." Cole said, turning towards the ocean. In the distance, he could see a dark smudge against the horizon. "I'm definitely curious to see how Ninjago is holding up."

"They've probably fixed everything I destroyed." Garmadon frowned. "I might not care for my brother, but I admit he's good at what he does. He would have gotten everything back on its feet in less than a month, I'm sure."

"You give yourself too much credit Captain." Cole said. "It wasn't only _you_."

"A fair amount of it _was_ my fault." Garmadon responded, his eyes lowering for a brief second before rising back up. "But well, what's done is done. And things turned out fairly well, thanks to that friend of yours."

Cole gave a small nod, but remained silent.

"Well, we should be there right on time for my son's birthday." Garmadon said. "Try to be as well rested as you can. You know Lloyd's going to question us about everything we've done since we left."

"Ha, yeah."

"And Cole?"

"Yes?"

Garmadon placed a hand against Cole's shoulder, giving it a small squeeze. "Maybe you should think about talking to your father. Just a suggestion."

"Right. . .I'll think about it."

* * *

Lloyd could barely contain his excitement.

"Do you think, maybe, Kai and Nya will come too?" He said, as his mom struggled to fix the clothes on his overly energized body.

"Maybe," Misako responded.

"I hope so. . . I can't believe they've been gone for so long. All of them. I mean I understand but. . . I wish I could have gone."

Although it had been months now, since they had gotten rid of the Djinn, the memories of everything still clung to his mind very vividly. The battle, Jay's struggle, and the Djinn's ultimate demise were things he thought about often, along with the other parts of his adventure. Lloyd was definitely glad it was all over, but part of him couldn't help but miss. . . everything.

The excitement. The adventure. The feeling that he was part of _something_.

And of course, the friendships he'd made along the way.

After things had been settled, Wu had aided Kai and Nya into acquiring a ship of their own. Together, they'd set off to find a way to destroy the teapot for good. They hadn't been back since, but Lloyd wasn't worried. He had no doubt that the only reason they had stayed away was because they'd found adventures of their own.

But Kai had known about Lloyd's birthday before leaving. Lloyd was _sure_ he would remember.

"Well, hopefully you will see everyone again, tonight." Misako said, stepping back to get a good look at her son.

"Think uncle will come too?"

"I don't know. . ." Misako shrugged.

"But he and dad aren't fighting anymore, are they?" Lloyd said. "Uncle let dad leave."

Misako searched for an answer that would be satisfying enough for Lloyd's inquisitive mind. Wu _had_ in fact, allowed Garmadon to leave Ninjago, after making the infamous captain promise to stay away from causing trouble. But this didn't really mean that their relationship had been mended. The tension between the two had grown more and more tangled for years, and things couldn't exactly be fixed overnight.

"It's complicated." She finally said, in a huff of frustration.

"Well. . .okay." Lloyd shrugged, determined to have the _best_ birthday. After all, he would be turning eleven. The number felt like an important threshold was being crossed. "Let's get going then!"

* * *

Garmadon watched as his crew anchored the ship before Ninjago. They had arrived in the opposite side of the island, where an old lighthouse stood. Just as Lloyd had suggested they do.

He wondered if Wu would show his face. Garmadon didn't quite know how he felt about it one way or the other. On the one hand, part of him still wanted to swing a good blow onto his brother's face. On the other, after everything that had occurred, he wanted to have a good talk, and finally lay all the animosity that had grown between them to rest.

Garmadon looked back at Cole, who was staring at the island with a strained expression, no doubt remembering all the things that had gone on before. Garmadon knew about all that had happened since the moment his soul had freed the Djinn, and he knew Cole's experience had not been an easy one.

He approached the young man. "Ready? I'm sure they've all missed you."

"Huh?" Cole jolted, as he pulled himself back to reality. "Oh. Right. Yeah. . ."

"Then c'mon."

They hopped down onto the beach, and it wasn't long before a familiar voice greeted them.

"Cole,"

Cole looked up, his heart nearly jolting out of his chest. Jay stood before him. His skin was more tanned than it had been before, as if he'd spent far more time beneath the sun. More freckles had grown throughout his face, framing themselves around his bright blue eyes. And of course, there was a only an awkward stump where his arm had once been.

After a couple of seconds of silence, Cole finally said the only thing he could "Jay."

Garmadon looked from Cole to Jay, then with a small shrug, began to head off. "Well I'll go look for Lloyd."

"Lloyd said you might be here." Jay said, once Garmadon had gone.

"Well. . . here I am, yeah."

"Glad to see you're okay."

"Same to you."

Once the tense, awkward silence continued, Jay huffed with frustration. "You know, I had this whole little speech planned, for when I saw you again. But I'm drawing a blank. So I'll just. . . Why did you leave? You know, I had no idea if you were okay. One moment, I'm fighting the Djinn, I'm happy that yes I _did_ save you, and I think I'm about to die. Which I was totally fine with, at that moment. Then the next moment, I wake up, armless mind you, and find out you've been gone for days."

"I just. . ." Cole tried to search for an answer, but he didn't really have an excuse. "I don't know. Garmadon was leaving. You were alright. So I figured. . .there was no more need for me to be here."

"Wu told me he was willing to let you stay in the island, let you start over." Jay said, his one hand fidgeting against the cloth of his shirt. "You could have stayed."

"Stayed?" Cole shook his head. "No. I don't. . . I don't really belong in Ninjago anymore. Maybe I miss it now and again but I don't-"

Jay raised his hand, stopping Cole's words. "Excuse me. I meant you could have _waited._ Do you know what it was like? I. . . I'm not going to lie. It took a _lot_ to get rid of that stupid Djinn. And then. . . then after it's all said and done, I wake up to realize that everyone is gone. Do you know how awful that was?"

"Everyone?"

"You left with Garmadon. Kai and Nya went off on adventures of their own. Zane moved to this side of the island, to be with some old man we found while you were dead. Lloyd. . . well he's been here. But he's always caught up with something or other. But I'll give the kid some credit, at least he _was_ here."

Cole blinked. "I didn't think. . . I'm sorry Jay. I just. . . figured that you'd want things to get back to normal. And I really didn't think you'd be alone."

"I _really_ wish I could cross my arms right now." Jay shook his head. "But I'll be honest. I don't want to be mad at you. I've missed you a lot. I've missed everything, really. I'm not much of a fan at having death jump at me from every corner but. . . For a moment there, we were all part of something, together. We were a team and. . . I've missed that."

"Well. . . I'm sure Garmadon wouldn't mind a new addition to his crew." Cole suggested.

"Me? A pirate?"

"We're leaning more towards explorers now." Cole said. "What with the Captain promising to stay out of trouble and what not. Which we do. For the most part at least."

Jay looked at the ship, which towered above him, rocking back and forth in the waves. Then he looked back at his friend.

"What's more fun than seeing the world with your best friend?" Cole pointed out, holding out his hand.

" _Best_ friend, huh?" Jay pouted. "Since when do best friends abandon each other?"

"I promise, that was only a bit of temporary idiocy. Besides, we _did_ save each other's lives. I'm pretty sure that automatically made us best friends."

Although Jay tried to keep the stubborn pout on his lips for a couple of moments longer, he couldn't help but smile. He took Cole's hand. "It's a deal then."

* * *

"Dad!" Lloyd ran through the beach, jumping onto his father's arms.

"Whoa, you've grown quite a bit haven't you?" Garmadon said, struggling to keep Lloyd in his arms. "You've gotten heavier. Or maybe I'm just getting old."

"I'm definitely heavier." Lloyd smiled. "I've grown a lot. I'm going to be taller than you! Mom says so."

"Does she now?" Garmadon set his son back down on the sand.

"Yup," Lloyd nodded. "So! Where have you gone? What have you been doing? You've been staying out of trouble right? I mean I haven't really _heard_ much of anything but, you really have been doing good right?"

"One question at a time, Lloyd" Garmadon chuckled.

Lloyd frowned, trying to settle on a question. "Well. . . You should probably tell us everything once we're all together, that way everyone gets to hear. Oh! And my friend Zane agreed to cook for us. He's a _really_ good cook."

"Zane. . . Isn't he one of Wu's guards?"

"Was," Lloyd nodded. "He quit. Now he just lives at the lighthouse, with Julien."

"There are definitely a lot of things we need to catch up on." Garmadon said.

"Indeed there are."

Lloyd and Garmadon both turned to see Wu approaching them. The man walked with a slight limp now, due to wounds that hadn't quite healed properly. Although his body seemed to be slightly weaker, there was now a bright light in his eyes that hadn't been there before.

Garmadon felt his shoulders tense, as he watched his brother come closer. "Wu."

Wu gave a small nod. "Garmadon. It's been quite a bit."

"Lloyd. . . Why don't you go on ahead? I'll be back with you in a second."

Lloyd gave a small nod, stepping away from his dad. Wu watched him leave, before turning back to his brother. "I'm glad to see you came."

"Well I promised Lloyd I would." Garmadon said. "But I won't stay long. If word got out to the town that the pirate who destroyed their lives was back, I don't think they would take it all that well."

Wu nodded sadly. "I do wish I could show everyone that you truly aren't as bad as they make you out to be."

Garmadon shrugged. "You put too much faith in me, Wu. And after I tried to kill you too."

"Well I'll be honest. I wasn't acting much better."

Garmadon tugged at his sleeves, avoiding eye contact with his brother as he spoke his next words. "Thank you for letting me and my crew leave Ninjago."

"You didn't really think I was going to let you rot in a dungeon, did you?"

"To be fair, _I_ would have done that to you. If I'd had the chance before." Garmadon said. "But really. I just wanted to say thank you for it. I know you risked a lot. If anyone ever found out, you'd be as much of an outlaw as I am."

Wu waved his hand nonchalantly. "I owed you that much, at least. I didn't get a chance to apologize properly before but. . . I'm sorry. About everything. You deserved to have your family."

"It's taken years but. . .I think I'm ready to forgive you. We all made our own choices, and we've dealt with the consequences. There really isn't any more need for us to keep fighting each other."

Wu smiled. "Good to have you back then, Brother."

* * *

As the day wore on, it became harder for Lloyd to try and mask his disappointment.

Not that he hadn't been having a good time. His dad and Cole both spun amazing stories, that made then yearning for adventure within him stronger with every word. The food Zane had cooked up had been excellent, easily the best food Lloyd had ever eaten. The atmosphere overall was warm and comfortable, as even his dad and his uncle began to joke with each other, even teasing as Lloyd had always imagined siblings did.

But . . . Lloyd couldn't help but stare out into the ocean every so often, hoping to see Kai's ship approaching in the distance. He had been so _sure_ Kai would remember. But now, he couldn't help but begin to lose hope.

"You should rest soon," Misako pulled her son towards her. Lloyd had been listening to more of his father's stories, but his eyelids had begun to drop lower and lower. "It's getting late."

"No I'm fine," Lloyd said stubbornly, forcing his eyes open. "I'm still awake."

"I'm sure Kai and Nya didn't forget about your birthday. Maybe they'll show up tomorrow. You know you can't really time trips perfectly, something might have held them up."

"I guess so. . ." Lloyd tried to stifle a yawn. He looked back out onto the ocean with a tired look, not really expecting anything. Which was why the growing shape in the water made his heart jolt his mind back into wakefulness. "No! Look!"

Misako looked up, watching as the familiar ship began to approach. She smiled, running her fingers through her son's hair. "Well, I'll go tell the others. Why don't you stay here and welcome them?"

"Yeah!" Lloyd jumped up, running towards the water, waving his arms excitedly.

Once the ship docked, Kai was the first to hop onto the beach, splashing water up around him. Lloyd ran to him, giving him a tight hug, which Kai returned. "Hey there Lloyd. You didn't think I'd forget about your birthday, did you?"

"I knew you would come!" Lloyd said. "Well. I was starting to doubt. A little."

"That's because your little friend here went and got us lost." Nya said, as she hopped down beside her brother. " He said he knew a _faster_ way of getting to Ninjago. Yeah right."

Lloyd chuckled, and Kai frowned. "Well, we _got_ here, didn't we?"

"Did you guys get rid of the teapot? Where did you guys hide it? Where did you guys _go_?"

"We hid it pretty well," Nya smiled. "And there would be no point in telling you, would there? It's supposed to be a secret."

"And to answer where we've gone well. . . It's a pretty long story." Kai smiled. "But let me tell you, it's one worth hearing."

"Well come _on_ then." Lloyd tugged on Kai's hand. "Everyone is here. I'm sure they'll all want to hear everything."

* * *

After a lot of pushing and pulling, Jay finally managed to convince Cole to talk to his father.

They'd decided to wait until the next morning, since it had been too far into the night to do much once they had finally settled on it. Now, as the sun began to rise, Jay stood outside the lighthouse, watching the waves crash against the sand while waiting for Cole to finally wake up and join him.

He felt a nudge on his shoulder and he turned, expecting to see his friend, but reeling back slightly when he spotted Nya instead. He felt a warm blush spread throughout his cheeks befor he could do anything to stop it.

"Nya!" He said. "Hi."

"Hey," Nya smiled. "We didn't really get to talk last night, so I figured I'd come talk now."

"Right," Jay nodded, trying to return the smile. "So. . . How's. . . Well I already know all about your trip. . . So then. . . Well how do you feel?"

"Feels better than being stuck at the blacksmith shop," Nya said. "I really enjoyed it. Just. . . being _free_ , you know? It's so exhilarating."

"Yeah. . ."

"I also wanted to thank you properly, for getting rid of the Djinn. And sorry about punching your eye."

Jay shrugged. "It got better. Plus you weren't really. . . well _you_ so I can't blame you."

"So how about you? How's everything been? You didn't say much last night."

"That's because nothing's really happened." Jay tried to keep the bitterness from his voice as much as he could, but some of it still sneaked through. "It was just me. Stuck here. Not doing much of anything. Getting used to having one arm, mainly."

"I'm sorry about leaving. We had to get rid of the stupid teapot before anything else happened."

"Don't be sorry."

"Huh?"

"I mean, I was pretty upset, but. . . Don't be sorry." Jay shrugged. "You seemed really happy last night, talking about everything. You made a good decision. It really suits you. . . just. . . being free, as you said."

"Well. . . thanks," Nya said, and Jay's eyes widened a bit when a bit of blush traveled up _her_ cheeks. "I was actually wanting to ask if you wanted to join my brother and I. We don't have much of a plan, really. We've been trading mainly, in order to keep the crew paid and the ship running. But it would be fun."

"Actually," Jay said, his eyes flickering to behind Nya. Cole had finally emerged from the lighthouse, and he gave Jay a small wave when he spotted him. "Cole already offered me the same thing."

Nya tried to laugh, to mask a bit of disappointment. "You? A pirate? I never would have guessed."

"Cole says they're more explorers than anything at this point. Garmadon is trying not to cause as much trouble."

"Maybe we'll cross paths again then,"

"Maybe." Jay nodded. Then after a second of hesitation, stepped forward to give Nya a somewhat awkward, one armed hug.

"You better not stop inventing things." Nya said, as she hugged him back. "I'll look forward to hearing about all the things you've made."

"And I'll look forward to hearing about all the things you'll do."

They stepped away from each other, and with one last smile, Nya walked away.

* * *

"You know what, I think I changed my mind." Cole stood before his father's door. He took a step back, shaking his head. "No yeah. This is a horrible idea."

"Cole," Jay rolled his eyes. "It's just your dad."

"Yeah easy for _you_ to say." Cole tried to breathe in. "But you don't understand."

"Okay, that's fair, I probably don't." Jay said, before placing his hand upon Cole's shoulder. "What I _do_ understand, is that if you don't do this, it'll eat up at you every day of your life. It's not like we're going to stay in the island. All you have to do is talk to him. We'll be sailing out into the scary unknown before you know it."

Cole turned to look at Jay, drawing strength from the reassuring look in his friend's eyes.

"And whatever happens, I'll be right here. I'm not going anywhere, Cole."

"Right," Cole nodded. Fueled by Jay's support, he stepped forward again, standing before the door.

He hesitated, his stomach twisting upon itself as it began to fill with nerves. But Jay was right. Cole needed this. And he wasn't alone. With a slow breath, Cole tried to calm himself. Whatever happened, he would have Jay to fall back on. Cole felt the tight strings of his past choices and mistakes slowly begin to unwind, leaving him with a pleasant sense of freedom.

He raised his arm, and knocked


End file.
